The Thaw- Zombie Apocalypse IV
by Awatere11
Summary: 2 years since we left them at Holdfast and now 7 years since Z Day and after a shitty 2 years of cold wet weather they are finding the Thaw full of hope as the cold seems to have finally started to leave. Ianto is starting to look forward as Holdfast and Fallback seem to be working in unison and he wonders if the gods will shine on them again. FranArian to thank for early postingx
1. Chapter 1

1

It has been two years since we last saw them and seven years since ZDay, the second thaw is now happening after the first harsh winter we left them in. It was repeated after a year of rain and dull weather so this spring is surprisingly bright.

Ianto had been worried that their weather patterns would remain dreary and to find spring finally arriving has filled him with a hint of excitement.

Ianto has high hopes.

The two villages are now fully settled with Holdfast still the main home with the second village, 'Fallback' acting as more of a farming community. One Mayor who resides in Holdfast with the second site having a 'chief' who still answers to the council, like an overseer.

The smaller dome is active and both sites are safe from Zs and Clickers.

Of course, people are another matter.

 **HOLDFAST VILLAGE**

Ianto and Jack have Hope (5) and little Dean (2 ½).

Billy (17) works Security and is with Marley (18) who is a Beautician and child care worker.

Micha (12) works laundry and kitchen, is living with grandparents Anna who heads the kitchen and Ifan the head Vet. The two waifs Ianto rescued in the city, Solomon (9) and Mia (6) live with them too

Sean is Head of Security and Clara is the Deputy Head Teacher with their son Liam (15) who works in Security with his Da. They also have a baby girl who is 4 months old called Destiny.

Alice is Head Teacher and Rhys is Head Mechanic and driver. Stephen (17) works with the livestock and the little boy Preston, from the newcomers is now 4.

Tosh and Owen have Blossom (6) and Ifan (5 ½). The third child was another girl named Poppy, much to everyone's delight and is now 20 months.

Owen's little Weevil Frank is now a hefty wee boy (2 ½) that Ianto had a soft spot for.

Current Mayor Vic is Security and general hand and his wife Fay works Laundry and Kitchen with their children Andrew (16) Security and general hand, Michael (14) in livestock. Fay is currently pregnant with a surprise late life baby.

Martha is Security and Garden and her two husbands Andy is Security and Livestock, Mickey is Security and garden and they have Trixibell (2 ½) and little Clarkson who is almost 1.

Francine deputy head Kitchen and Clive works Livestock. They are raising Kitty (10)

Leo works Security and his daughter is Amber (7). He is currently dating Patsy from the other village but its early days and Ianto does not want to push.

Tish is a kitchen worker.

Ebony is a Jack of all trades, Boomer works Security and mechanic with her brother Randy who works Security and Livestock and her children are Eric (8), Keera (5) and Raven (3). She is heavily pregnant and ready to drop any day, if she would just slow the fuck down.

Dean and Frank are firm friends, with Martha's wee 'Bella the third musketeer. The terrible 2s make them a force to be reckoned with and sometimes only Ianto can talk them down from their tantrums. Amazingly, Frank doesn't seem to realize he is a Weevil and continues to strive to keep up.

…

 **Fallback Village – site 2**

Hailey works in the Kitchen and gardens, Art works in Maintenance and has Lewis (4 ½) the youngest boy is named Charlie and is now 18 months. Art's blind son Freddy (13) is wanting to go back to Holdfast as the travelling each day for school is daunting. This is still under discussion.

Paige is Hailey's sister and works in the Kitchen and Crèche.

Emily works in the Laundry and Kitchen with Leon (6.)

Logan is a medic and Heather is the coms support with Tosh and they have Gill (8)

Sarah works security and is a nurse, son Travis (20) Security and general hand and little Clay (7)

Mathew who is Head Gardener and Giles works Security and maintenance.

Patsy works Garden and livestock, brother Robin is a Mechanic, Olivia (5).

Robin is the driver for the school run each week day, also ferrying food and supplies back and forth underground with the all terrain vehicle created from a four wheeled motorbike and an extra two chassis sections and wheels, that turns and pivots like a caterpillar body where they connect. The contraption is called the Crawler.

AJ and Rebel are now adults working in the gardening department.

Morris is currently the Chief of Fallback with Holden (5).

Sisters Juniper and Brandy work Kitchen and laundry, three children called Millie (10), Celia (8) and Rex (8) and one teenage boy (17) called Trey that is learning from Ebony to be maintenance.

The sisters appear to be fighting over Morris and he is oblivious to the problem. Ianto finds this quietly amusing.

.

.

.

.

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74 souls + 1 Weevil and 2 babies pending

1 Wolfling and the two cubs both show tendencies.

Billy and Marley are now a breeding couple, hopefully. Ianto watches with interest as he hopes for a grandchild. He is in no hurry for another baby as things are still settling and he is too busy praying for Alice to catch instead.

Also, he has a feeling that this year will be a busy one.

It's a new world.

It is the thaw.


	2. Chapter 2

2

"So are we agreed?" Vic asked the table and everyone nodded.

"When?" Billy asked with open excitement.

"When your father says so" Ianto said softly and Billy sighed.

"We've run out of near places to raid. We need Jack to go further in order to find anything we can scavenge." Rhys agreed, "I think a small party by chopper, then if there is nothing there it's not a problem. If there is, a small party can get a vehicle going and fill it up for a return trip. Any problems, Jack can still do a scoop and run."

"Agreed" Art said with a grunt, "That explosion was unsettling to the North, I suggest we head along the ridgeline and look for any towns the other way."

The map was poured over as Jack calculated fuel (One of the things they were going to scavenge for) and Ianto looked towards the door as the Three Musketeers entered, Frank last of course as he struggled to walk in the red cowboy boot he had found somewhere.

"Tadda?" Dean said plaintively, "I is too hungers."

"Well, go ask Nainny" Ianto replied distractedly.

"But she say no till meal!" he whined, his eyes getting wild and his grip on Ianto's pants leg tightened. "I need it."

Only two and a half and already his speech advanced to the point where he could argue effectively.

"Well, it means dinner is almost ready pup" Ianto looked down at him and smiled, Belle sitting patiently on the floor as Frank leered at Owen who was scolding gently as he fixed his jacket for him.

"It's still too cold out there to have this flapping young man" Owen said as he zipped it up and placed his hands on the little weevil's shoulders, "I can't have my boy getting a cold now, can I?"

Frank snarled and then swung to look at Ianto.

"I agree with your dada" Ianto said sternly, "The boot looks good Frankie."

Frank looked down as if surprised to find it there on his foot and pointed, a soft growl as his fingers wriggled and then pointed at Bella.

"Hers? Do they not fit anymore?" Owen asked.

"She never liked them" Martha answered, "Don't know why. Kids."

"Yeah" Owen huffed, leaning in to kiss Frank on the snout and the weevil moaned happily as Dean reached out and pulled Bella to her feet.

"We go explore" Dean told his father and then the three of them swaggered off, the weevil pausing to swing his head back, showing his weevil tendencies as his beady little eyes focused on Giles.

"Come on Frankie, we get the other boot, yeah?" Dean called back happily, sounding like Jack.

Giles tried to make out he couldn't see him and after a couple of heartbeats the weevil left and Giles let out a whoosh of breath.

"As long as you ignore him, he will get over it" Owen said as he reached for some papers.

"Says you" Giles said with a frown, "The little thing just doesn't like me."

Ianto didn't speak, choosing to cluck at the baby he had stolen off Tosh so he didn't have to point out that the weevil was feeding off their dislike for the man and it would likely never change. Weevils have long memories. Also, he kept saying 'thing'.

The meeting turned to site 2 and Ianto rose, quietly leaving them to it as he wandered along the tunnel and up into the big house.

It had been rebuilt and stood stronger than ever. They had learnt from the clickers and now the building was encased in corrugated iron, like the buildings that had survived unscathed and they had been surprised to find how warm it was this winter gone, the tunnels helping feed and maintain the temperatures that made going topside easier.

Nainny was kneeling as she handed each of the 3Ms a sandwich and the weevil sniffed his with interest, then displayed his teeth in what he thought might be a smile, making her stroke his cheek as she told him he was a handsome little boy. Weevil or not, it was clear that he loved his Nainny as he echoed the movement, his claws so gentle as he hummed at her.

Ianto stepped into the street and looked to the left, the school now like a large barn with large windows as the huge barn doors also with smaller doors in them. A mezzanine level was the library, ensuring the entire floor space was for playing and learning, the second tier around the edges for quiet time and escape.

Ianto sighed and hoped they would find more books, more toys and please gods some more school supplies. The children were greedy to learn and he was never going to deny them that.

Beyond the school's back doors you could see the meadows and the livestock happily grazing. Beyond them and the dome was the lush fields that would also be used and become hay.

Beside the school was a livestock barn with the same clear windowed front and back so anyone standing here could see right through them. When Ebony had first said to Ianto that she thought windows would be good he formed this idea in his mind and now left and right had buildings with this feature, allowing him to see beyond the school and livestock barn, to the right stood the storage shed and vehicle bays. Anything coming at them could be seen by his Wolfling eyes right through the glass, his eyesight able to pick squirrels in the trees at the far edge of the clearing the village was nestled in.

After he was sure that things were calm and his ears didn't pick up any arguments or disharmony he turned and headed back down, handing the baby to an eager Nainny as he passed and he found Jack waiting with Billy.

They chose a golf cart and Jack yelled dibs on driving as his son groaned.

They headed for Site 2.

The Fallback.


	3. Chapter 3

3

They stood in the middle of Site 2 and Ianto was the first to motion towards a building, "That still has to come down, I thought he said it was cleared of the marked buildings."

"Yeah" Billy frowned, "I'll go see what the hold-up is Tad."

As their son walked off with his long legs carrying him swiftly Jack took a moment to indulge in some prideful thoughts. Their son was now a man and he was one to be reckoned with as their influences rubbed off. He was already calling out and more than one ran to catch up from other projects as they knew Billy wanted a task completed.

"I want to check the tunnel house" Ianto told his mate, "Sounds like the new irrigation system is working well and I want to see if we can glen anything for the other."

Jack nodded as he split off and headed back for the old police station that was now the base of operations and he found Mathew sitting with his head in his hands.

"Matt?"

"Hey" he sighed, smiling at Jack as he leaned back to show he was OK, "That bloody bull got loose again, got into the corn. If we can't contain him…he may have to go back and we look at servicing the girls another way. We need the meat and the bloody milk but he is so bloody strong."

"Shit" Jack huffed, "I'll talk to Tosh and Ebony. Maybe we can jammy up an electric fence? Ianto will go spare worrying about the kids so it will have to be within another enclosure so they don't get a zap but maybe with a car battery?"

"Hells teeth, I never thought of that. I'll talk to Ebony. Thanks Jack I was going to head over to HF once I got this finished but then I looked at it and just despaired."

"How are the lambs looking?" Jack chose to change the subject, knowing Mathew would perk up.

"Mad" he gushed, "Little things have decided they are kids and with the bloody goats happy to cohabit I have lambs leaping about headbutting things. Mad."

Jack laughed as he listened and wondered if Ianto was there yet, probably already in the livestock barn playing with the babies.

As Mathew settled into talking about tilling the fields and the crops he wanted to plant Jack looked out the large windows as Ianto wandered past in deep conversation with Hailey. Her face was glowing as she told him something and his return smile was that of congratulations.

"Hailey got that pizza oven to go?" Jack guessed and Mathew sighed happily as he started to talk about pizza.

Although the meals were cooked at HF, they were then trucked here to the Mess Hall where they were reheated. It had been decided to try and prepare their own lunches, to make things easier on the HF crew who were happy to do the prep and ten send the raw materials through for FB to finish the cooking.

The Pizza Oven had been Ebony…of course…and both villages now had one, making lunch an excitement for the children as the school at HF catered to all the children and they were getting a good education in cooking as well, their little hands eagerly helping prepare their mini pizzas.

Next month it would likely have worn off but for now pizza was the word of the moment.

Ianto found Jack walking towards him his face one of contentment as he carried a basket of baby carrots.

"really?" Ianto asked with interest as he looked at the early crop, "Looking good."

"Thanks" Jack preened, cocking a suggestive stance with his arse poking out and Ianto laughed softly as he shook his head at his silly mate.

Billy elected to stay so the two men headed back, leaving the cart for him and walking instead, hand and hand down the long tunnel.

They had started this habit after a crack was found in a side tunnel and although they had never found any sign of rock fall Ianto was always happier once he had checked for himself that the tunnel was safe for the babies to travel each day for school. At least once a week they would walk the passage between sites.

Jack loved him all the more for his worrying, his sweet husband.

"Mama might put them in the Irish stew she said she was making" Jack said with excitement, "Do you think?"

"Francine's stew is to die for" Ianto agreed, "I think she was going to use some of the pumpkin too, will make the gravy silky smooth."

"Oh gods, I'm hungry now" Jack whined as Ianto laughed softly, pulling him into one of the side caves along the path.

"Me too, all that fresh air" Ianto growled, "Come wear me out before tea so I have more of an appetite"

"Oh Ianto, for you I always have an appetite Holdfast" Jack growled as he found himself plastered against the cool wall of the cave.

Always.


	4. Chapter 4

4

Ianto was snoozing, as was his custom of an afternoon.

The hay in the barn that still remained up in the second level was warm and with the winch doors open the sun was streaming in. It was starting to feel like summer was truly going to bless them this year and Ianto sighed softly into the quiet space.

Then he heard rustling and he let his arms fall out like wings and waited for the chicks to rush into the space, two little face nuzzling as Dean and Bella settled. Ianto still waited.

Then he felt the little hands on his chest and the weight descending and Frank sank onto his chest as the weevil face found room under his chin to sniff.

"My babies" he crooned, "My beautiful beasts, what are you up to today, hmmm?"

"We played in the mud pit, Mama Fran yelled a bit, then we went and found a watery bit but she still yelled. She crazy." Dean informed him and Ianto snorted at the thought that a puddle might please Francine more than a mud pit.

"Maybe if you play with the kittens so they don't get into the kitchen around her feet she would be happy" he suggested and Frank groaned softly. "Yes Frankie love, you are good with the kitties, aren't you."

Frank nodded and his claws wriggled against Ianto's' shirt as he thought about the kitties he loves so much, Ianto's lips kissing his face lovingly.

The bell sounded for afternoon tea and Ianto crooned, promising to come with them so the children would rise and he walked to the square where a large table was covered with food and Owen scooped Frank up, crooning as he settled him in a huge high chair Ebony had crafted and Frank snarled with excitement as he looked at the chicken drums.

"Want some chookie book-book?" Owen crooned, still loving his little boy so much and the weevil wriggled two clawed fingers at the plate with a look of glee.

Owen plucked a drum for the plate and placed it in the tray of the highchair as the weevil looked from the tray to the table and groaned again, two claws wriggling again until Owen laughed and placed a second drum on the tray.

"Two. See? One two." Owen chortled and the weevil hummed as he held up the two claws, wriggling them in agreement.

"Such a clever wee man" Mickey crooned as he waved, his own daughter seated on his lap and Bella held up two fingers and wriggled.

The table erupted with mirth as Mickey calmly placed two drumsticks down for her and she grinned at Frank as he showed approval with a low howl.

"Oi. Now, now. Rules baby" Owen said softly, rubbing the little weevil's shoulders, "No howling at the table."

"I know" Ianto sighed as he rolled his eyes, "I think that one was my fault."

Everyone laughed at their Wolfling as Frankie made a soft chuffing noise to emulate laughter as well.

"So, the children wanted to go beyond the Dome to check the wildflowers starting to grow" Alice told Ianto, as others stopped to listen as well, "Do you think it will be OK?"

"After we eat I will take a lope around and have a look, I doubt there is any problem" Ianto smiled, "I would perhaps come with them to see how the perimeter sensors are holding up, I think one or two need adjustments."

"Oh, lovely" Alice perked up, grinning at her father-in-law with open delight, "I was hoping to talk with you some more about the ideas for the field trip to the marshes later this month."

Yes, we need to see Rhys and Mickey about that orange ATV, I want a stronger roll cage before I let the kids in it. We will need both of them to fit all the wee buggers" Ianto replied, nodding.

"We have talked about it and he thinks the cage can be reinforced easily, I think he already started" she agreed and Ianto placed his knife and fork down signalling that he was full.

"I will go now" he said as he rose and Frank made a little whining noise as he looked imploringly at him. "I will take Frankie so he can let you enjoy your meal."

Owen nodded and Ianto pulled the wee weevil from his chair and set him down, "You need two shoes on your feet. Two."

Two little claws clacked in agreement and Frank toddled off to find his gumboots. He loves those bloody things.

The Wolfling waited until the little weevil had climbed up using handfuls of fur to get settled and when he felt him lay across his shoulders the beast lumbered forward as the dome shimmered.

As the huge wolf ran the little Weevil howled with glee.

Two wild things.


	5. Chapter 5

5

They returned with wide eyes, open mouths and news that it was safe for the children to play.

As they all did just that, Ianto sank into the soft spring grass and smelt the world growing, renewing and becoming.

Frankie stood chuffing until Ianto rolled onto his side and let the weevil climb onto his flanks to lie in the warm fur, watching the clouds.

Owen found them like that.

"Hey" he said softly to the Wolfling, watching a huge eye roll to look at him and not the children.

Owen was settling when Frank squealed and slid from the beast and onto him instead, wriggling on his with glee as Owen tickled him gently.

"Where are the other two?" Owen asked and the Wolfing chuffed as he flicked that eye in the direction of Marley who was laughing. Dean and Bella were lying in the grass watching ants.

Ianto stood and shook himself, his coat long and sleek as the light caught it and Owen was transfixed as he appeared fluid for a moment, shimmering and almost disappearing in the haze. Then Ianto swung to look upwind, scenting and Owen rose as Ianto started to lower his head.

"Come on everyone" Owen yelled, "Mama Francine was making ice-cream"

The kids all screamed and ran for the transports as the adults laughed and Rhys started one up, the second driven by Alice as Owen waved for them to go, leaving Mickey to walk towards the Wolfling that Owen stood beside.

"What is it big man?"

"I smell rotting meat" Ianto said softly, his muzzle wrinkling.

"Shit" Owen sighed; stepping back toward Mickey who raised his weapon to his hip.

Ianto galloped towards the edge of the trees and then sank to look over into the valley below.

Zs.

Falling, crawling and stumbling. Slow yet determined as they moved along, one chewing on a rabbit carcass. As he watched, one's skin seemed to slide from an arm like a sleeve torn from a jumper and the rotting meat fell into the grass with a dull plop that only his ears could hear

A drone passed low overhead and Ianto looked up as it swooped down to show those back at HF what he could already see. Fifty at least. Ianto waited for instruction as his eyes took it all in and then he had a horrible thought as one looked in his direction.

Spoiled meat.

He exploded down towards them roaring as he swiped at the first one, his paw going through it like it was warm butter and he felt sickened as he swung at another and then another.

He has no idea when Jack and the others arrived, just that when it was done and they all stood panting there was nothing but scattered meat festering in the sun.

"Fuck" Mickey said as he looked at the Wolfling with confusion, "What was the urgency here?"

"The fields behind us are crop" Ianto panted, "the meat would have seeped into the soil. Could we trust our crops?"

"Shit" Andy said softly as Rhys turned to look back at their corn waving gently, "He's right. The spuds are just breaking through over that way too.

"Are you OK?" Jack asked as he watched the Wolf take giant breaths.

"Rotten" Ianto snarled, "greasy and…oil. Filth and….errrrggghhhhh"

Ianto seemed to shiver and then to Jack's horror he threw up, shaking his head with disgust.

"Ianto? Are you in pup?" Jack asked eagerly.

"No" Ianto said flatly, "I got a mouthful of Z. And if you were paying more attention you would see that several got a mouthful of me. I need to retreat and lick my wounds."

Ianto headed for the woods and Jack followed silently, watching the Mara descend and cover him as they comforted him and helped him to heal.

"Ianto?"

"I will be fine, check the children are OK," Ianto said softly, "I shall be along soon my love."

Jack left him to it and went back to find the children all eating ice-cream as Francine watched with her arm folded.

"Care to tell me why tonight's dessert is being eaten early?" she demanded at he entered the eating area and he motioned her to one side, whispering of the Zs and her eyes widened.

"I thought they were all gone" she hissed

"No. As long as we survive, others do too, and even though we do not fall it seemed they do" Jack shrugged, "it is how things are. Ianto had to act quickly and it is better to sacrifice pudding than one of our babies. You know they are all so precious."

Francine nodded as she turned to look over the bowed heads, happily licking spoons and she rushed to refill their bows.

More than enough peaches for tonight, the preserves could suffer a little as the new crops came in.

Each child also received a kiss.

Precious loves.


	6. Chapter 6

6

"We need some sort of barrier to keep them out" Sean was talking to Rhys as the rest of the table still settled, "I was thinking, might not work but it might and if it does it would not be too obvious."

"How do you mean?" Rhys asked as more turned to listen.

"We can't put up fences, they will be visible and give us away to drones. We need some form of barrier though. I was thinking. Gorse. We plant it like fencing but haphazardly, not in neat little lines. We could then have a huge fucking briar patch that Zs would not be able to push through." Rhys said excitedly, "Other plants go dormant in winter but gorse doesn't give a shit, it seems to just keep growing."

"I like the sound of that" Ianto said softly, knowing his nod would be echoed and as each person agreed with Rhys Ianto yawned softly.

"You OK mate?" Art asked softly as Vic leaned forward to examine Ianto.

"Yes. I am" Ianto smiled at them, touched by their open concern, "The Zs got a good hold of me and it took some energy to heal. I will be fine, just a bit run down like the flu, you know?"

"Oh god!" Martha said theatrically, "Not….man flu?"

Pens and wads of paper flew at her as she laughed and Andy threw himself on the table in front of her like it was a hail of bullets as everyone erupted into a childish game. Vic opened his mouth to tell them all to grow up but when a cupcake splattered him in the face he roared and joined in.

Ianto was tired. He leaned back and smiled as he watched them chase away the bogeyman with their childish display then turned his head to look at the monitors behind Vic, his eyes narrowing as he leaned forward a bit.

"Gunfire" He sighed and the room fell silent, "Look at the flashing. It's muzzle flash. Someone is firing a semi-automatic out on zone C."

Everyone scrambled as Jack and Ianto headed for the chopper pad where their son was already waiting with Martha.

"Stephen has confirmed it, it's more obvious at FB"" he called to his parents as they approached, "Two sets, close together. The drone picked up four heat signatures."

"Right" Jack nodded, "Load up. Babe, you wanna drop in when we get close or play this safe?"

Jack was referring to the Wolfling and Ianto nodded, "Perhaps in human form is best, these clothes are old as I was going to help Ebony paint the barn. If I need to transform I shall sacrifice them."

Jack had chosen the smaller, sleek chopper as it required less fuel and the potato crop of last year was still being sorted for more alcohol to be made in the copper stills crazy Ifan was in charge of. It had proven to be a great clean burning fuel but it was hell on the filters.

They rose and banked, heading for the gunfire as Ianto checked his son's flat jacket and then pulled on his own so they all matched and look more of a team.

The ones in control.

They came down in a war zone, the family was pinned down behind a vehicle with a building at their back, showing they knew a thing or two about survival and Jack nodded to his son, then turned the chopper as Billy gleefully let the Gatling gun loose.

They then landed and Ianto was first to put his feet on the ground as he strode towards them, his hand gun swinging to clear any Zs still moving. A man rose to look at him with open shock as Ianto came to a halt and canted his head.

"Hello."

"Jesus" the older man spluttered.

"My Tad usually prefers Ianto" Billy said as he came to stand next to his father with pride, "I'm Billy. That's my Aunty Martha clearing and my Dad, Jack is in the flight seat."

"Please" a woman rose and Ianto could see a child in her arms, "Please help us. He is so ill, has been four days and we can't seem to help him."

Billy moved forward and Ianto caught the back of his Jacket to halt him, "Is it infectious?"

Billy swung with horror as his face showed he hadn't' thought of that and he moved back by his Tad again.

"No, no one else has been ill" another younger man said, "Please. We thought it was a spring cold but he kept getting weaker and complaining of stomach pain."

"How many of you are there?" Ianto asked.

"Just us" the woman said with confusion.

"No. I mean, where you came from. Your group waiting for you" Ianto clarified, "Your clothes are clean, you are all well washed with soap and shampoo. You have a home somewhere."

"Yes" the first man said as he slid around the car and placed his gun on the hood, motioning the other one to do the same, "We are two day's walk from here. Please. We were heading towards Cardiff when we met a roadblock we couldn't get around in the car. We've been walking for almost half a day hoping to find a homestead for the night. Then this…pack."

"Snarl." Ianto said, "We call them a Snarl of Zs. Fifty or less is a snarl, if it's closer to eighty or so we call it a clusterfuck."

The other man who had been relatively quiet started to laugh, shaking his head as he added another gun from a side holster to the rifle he had placed on the bonnet.

"Right, all aboard." Jack sighed knowing Ianto would run back to save space for them. The two men argued, but Ianto insisted they stay with the child, knowing one was the father from the way he kept touching the little one's leg.

As they rose and Ianto could be seen calmly striding into the nearby woods the woman craned her head. "I am so sorry, he …I mean."

"Don't worry about Ianto" Martha said softly, "That man is unstoppable."

The child whimpered and Jack radioed their approach knowing Tosh was already listening to everyone anyway but Operation Smokescreen was now in effect.

.

.

.

.

.

It's my birthday. SO, here's a second chap early.


	7. Chapter 7

7

They landed in a field that was been cleared for hay making and the homestead waited silently.

"Our team is on the way" Billy said as he ushered them out of the chopper, "I can hear the ATV now."

Rolling Thunder crested a rise and the two men stepped closer together in front of the woman and child as the beast of a machine rumbled over and came to a stop. Owen was first out, running towards them with his medical kit over his shoulder, "Get to the house. I can examine him inside."

"Uncle Owen is a doctor" Billy assured the mother, "A real one. Before it all went tits up he was a practicing one. He will know what to do."

The house was a small four bedroom structure. Simple but ready to receive. This was Smoke Screen Manor. So named by Sean and Billy as they helped set it up for any newcomers while they were being assessed for possible inclusion into the Village.

"We cannot take you to our home. You understand that we are wary and have had some bad experiences in the past. This house is for your use" Martha said as she helped Marley carry in food. "Here is a four day supply of food, a standard package. We can replenish if you stay longer or if anyone had dietary needs. I forgot to ask, is anyone vegan or diabetic.?"

"Are you people real?" the woman asked softly, "I mean …oh my god. Is that butter?"

"This is my bond mate Marley" Billy said with obvious pride as he pulled her against him, using the term Jack and Ianto often used for one another and she smiled politely at them.

"I'm Rhys and my wife there is Alice, Jack's ….sister" he said after he remembered the cover story for their connection. "That's Owen and there is another one, he's out there patrolling but you will see him when he gets back. He is one of Martha's husbands, Mickey."

"One?"

"I needed two" Martha informed the woman calmly like she was talking about handbags, "Seemed better that way."

The woman giggled to herself as Jack snorted and then Ianto entered, still doing up his flat jacket he had flicked into the chopper before it had left him behind. He now wore a uniform as his clothes had been abandoned when he had transformed to catch them.

"Where the fuck did you come from!" The older man asked with shock.

"The wilds" Ianto answered cryptically, stepping over to Jack for a gentle kiss of hello.

"Appendix" Owen said over his shoulder "I don't know how it's lasted this long. It's gonna blow at any given minute. I need to operate and I can't do it here."

"We can't take them in" Jack reminded him, watching as Owen huffed and nodded.

Then Jack canted his head to listen to his Bluetooth and one of the men rose, seeing the tech for the first time and realising they were in the presence of more organised people than he had thought.

"Henders Green of the Welsh Guard" he said, offering his hand to the one he saw was in charge, "My big brother Barret and our little sister Gretel. Her son is called Peter."

"Like fairy tales" Ianto said softly to himself as he shook the offered hand and Jack nodded and looked into the corner of the room where a little red light stared back from the camera.

"Council have had an emergency meeting, both elder committee and standard are in agreement that we can bend the rules for mother and child" Jack informed the room, "We can move them to FB for the procedure where there is a sterile OR on standby, Logan is prepping to assist Owen."

Ianto turned to Barret, "I thought you were the child's father, you are so attentive."

"Her husband died early into the pregnancy. I …she was always a sickly little thing and I treated her more like my baby than my sister. Naturally her child would be mine one way or another." He shrugged.

"I understand" Ianto nodded as they walked to the chopper and watched Owen bustle Gretel and Peter inside, "We have all adjusted. Just as Martha requires two husbands, some have decided on chastity where as I and Jack are not the only same sex couple."

"You're a couple?" Barret asked with surprise, "He seems so…well. Sorry. A lady's man with that swagger."

"Don't let that fool you" Ianto snorted, "He would go for anything with a pulse once. But as we keep saying, this is a brave new world. We found that we needed each other more than anyone or anything else. You cling to something like that now."

"Yeah" Barret sighed softly, "I never had a wife. Always thought there would be time once I became a partner in the law firm. Look what good it's dong me now."

"Well, I was an archivist" Ianto quipped, "They called me the Tea boy."

Barret laughed as he looked at the tall, confident man that oozed danger and shook his head.

He couldn't picture this man as a servant.

No way.

He looked more like a predator.


	8. Chapter 8

8

While the others rushed the child back for proper care Ianto settled into a chair to watch as Alice made a pot of strong tea and opened a packet of crisps.

"Crisps?" Henders whispered.

"Took a while to get the cut just right, have a little machine now that one of the women made, a single potato can just slice right though as you drop it in and we can deep fry and then flavour them as we go. We prefer to go in bulk as the kids all…"

Ianto cleared his throat in warning as he realised she was saying too much, smiling instead as she placed the teapot down.

Barret was studying the man more, the way he canted his head and held himself was not military but he had definitely received training somewhere. His entire manner was calm and cool, almost friendly but the fire arm on his hip told a different story. Especially since he had not touched it once since putting it away where as the young man called Billy walked around with his hand resting on his like a comfort.

"So, you are all family?" he asked Billy and he swung to look at him, his face so young and friendly, despite that hand rest.

"All you have left is family" Billy told him with a nod, "There's only us…and them."

"It's a sad world" Henders agreed, "So many we found and lost along the way, it doesn't get any easier. Then the fucking bugs."

"Clickers" Billy nodded, "We call them Clickers."

"Apt" Barret snorted as he let his head fall into his heads so he could scrub his face with them.

"You're bone weary" Ianto said with a sigh, "There are bedrooms, beds made up and the bathroom has running hot water. Solar panels on the roof take care of that. There is nothing more we can do until we have word. Have something to eat, relax and go get some rest."

Barret found himself nodding his agreement as it sounded more like friendly advice than an order and he found himself warming to this man who controlled the people around them with subtle looks.

Definitely the man.

"Have you any way of contacting your people, to let them know you found some help?" Alice asked and Ianto didn't move a muscle as he silently applauded her for remembering the key questions.

"A CB radio, but its back in the vehicle we had to abandon. After I rest I can walk back I suppose but until I have word …" Barret was shrugging and Ianto knew he was telling the truth.

"Once we know something we can help you sort that out" Ianto said softly, "I will tell Jack to bring a portable CB with him."

"I'm just so bloody tired" Barret sighed as he accepted a lamb and mint jelly sandwich with a look of thanks then bit into it and froze as his eyes widened.

"Mama Francine likes to provide the best for guests" Ianto smiled as he guessed the reason for the look, "There will be some chocolate sauce or powder in there somewhere too, so you can make hot chocolate at bedtime. The marshmallows are good. The kitchen crew are still perfecting them so they can be a bit sticky and gooey but I like them that way."

"Jesus" Barret said with wonder as he finished the sandwich and eagerly accepted another.

"Forgive us our nervousness" Ianto said as he watched, "We are a nervy lot, we have children too and we wish to protect our pups at all costs."

His Bluetooth crackled and it was Tosh, "Ianto, Dean has fallen over and cut his knee. It's not bad but he is upset and Jack is at FB."

"Shit" Ianto sighed, rising from the table and touching his coms to talk, "Is he doing the angry yell of the out of breath wails?"

"The, 'I'm dying' sobs" she sighed. "Hope is beside herself."

"I'm on my way, will be there as soon as, about half an hour as the wolf runs" Ianto was making for the door, "Let Jack know and Sean can relieve Jack at FB."

Barret listened and canted his head as he recognised the fact that they were talking about a place called FB and it wasn't where he was headed.

How big was this place?

Ianto swung back to look at him and he found himself transfixed.

"Stay" Ianto demanded and then he was gone, moving with great speed as he dropped the flat jacket outside the door for Billy to scoop up and hang on a hook.

He didn't need it?

Barret wondered how long it would take him if he could travel by foot.

Did he say half an hour as the wolf runs?


	9. Chapter 9

9

Ianto reached HF within twenty minutes, out of breath and cursing himself for his tiredness as he made his way down into Stronghold were he could hear his chid still weeping.

Frank was beside himself as well, no Owen to comfort him either so he was alternating between biting his own little hand and shaking it at everyone. Ianto took in the scene and scooped up the little weevil first, his despair almost too much to watch.

"It's OK Cariad" Ianto crooned, sitting and rubbing the weevil's back as he twisted to point at his best friend and moan sadly. "Come here puppy."

Dean slid to the edge of the bed and Ianto carefully slid him to his other knee so Frank could embrace him, still moaning and clicking his teeth together in distress.

"Where's the other one?" Ianto asked looking around and the room fell silent.

"Guys?" Ianto felt the chill entering the room, "Where is Bella?"

"They came in without her" Clara said, "We thought she was with her Papa."

"Andy?" Ianto touched his coms and got a huffed reply.

"Under a fucking ton of….gonna last….maybe if we…..from site 2 … bloody horses…."

"If you think we need to move some hay about get it done" Ianto got the gist of the cutting out conversation, "Have you seen that daughter of yours?"

"No…boys earlier….frogs…"

Ianto looked at the two on his lap and frowned, "Dean? Did you guys go to the creek at the back of the old church? At the edge of the dome?"

Dean looked up and nodded through his tears.

"Was Bella with you?"

Nod.

"OK, I want you to be a good boy and let Hope change your clothes and wash you, me and Frank are going to go get her" he said as he placed the now calm child down for his sister to grab and slid Frank to a hip, "Come on big guy, let's go get the girl."

Frank waved over Ianto's shoulder to his friend and then let his head rest on his big shoulder.

He loves his Uncle Yano.

They walked out across the grass and found her still in the creek, her feet in the water as she lay in the reeds and Frank moaned with fear as he struggled to be let down then he ran over to stroke her face with open worry.

She rolled to her side and blearily looked up at the weevil.

"Frankie?" she yawned and stretched, "Me tywered."

"Hey baby girl" Ianto crooned and he watched her face light up as she held up her arms, and he lifted her for a kiss.

As they walked back he silently seethed.

She could have drowned in that level of water, they could have been more seriously hurt and no child was allowed at the edge of the dome without a grown-up in case of dome failure. These were babies who had easily forgotten the rules, they were too busy frog hunting.

Everyone had become too comfortable again and he was not having it.

His pup had slipped on the slippery rocks and cut his knee, what if he had bashed his head open?

Ianto strode into the med-bay and his son's face lit up as the three musketeers were reunited and he scolded her for not following him back, his pudgy little hands patting hers even as he did so, "Bella bad. I hurt and blood going, you bad not come help."

"I sleep" she shrugged as she looked at Frank for support but he was clearly keeping out of it as he looked at her little braids and noticed one was missing it's little red ribbon.

Mummy Martha might be mad.

He waited until everyone was happy and slipped out, heading back to the creek for the ribbon and Ianto sighed as he pointed, "See? Who was watching?"

He stormed after the weevil and his heart melted as he saw claws carefully retrieve a red ribbon from the reeds and Frank tucked it into the pocket on the bib of his wee overalls. Like Poppy's ya know. They were his favourite and he had a meltdown every time they were in the wash and only Owen could talk him into another set of clothes for the day.

"Frankie, you know these are dirty now" Ianto said softly, "We need another sad wash day."

Frank looked down at the mud on him and slumped as he realised Uncle Yano was right.

Bugger.

"Come on partner, you are getting bigger. Maybe the Wardrobe room has something new, yeah?" Ianto offered a treat that he didn't usually get and his little mouth opened in a grin.

They entered the house that served as the 'Wardrobe' and entered the room that was labelled 'Kids 000 – 9 yrs' letting the weevil down to pick at the clothes on the racks for himself.

Ianto made a note that next recon they needed more, these kids grow like weeds and there was not a lot of hand-me-downs happening with the outside activities paying a toll on clothing. Frank found a little pair of black track pants and he considered with a canted head and then he saw a little black polo shirt and looked from one to the other.

Ianto realised he was making a Security outfit and felt a stab of delight.

"You wanna be a soldier like Uncle Jack?" Ianto crooned and Frank nodded, not able to say like uncle Yano instead but close enough.

Ianto found a sleeveless vest with pockets, a pair of boots and even a little belt he would need help with and dressed the weevil who squeaked with excitement.

Soon Security Officer Frank stepped out into the afternoon sun and perused his territory with little claws hooked on the belt.

The swagger was so Owen that Ianto had to laugh.

Sweet wee man.


	10. Chapter 10

10

Frank headed into the coms room and over to Tosh with the swagger in full force. She clapped a hand over her mouth to smother her laughter and slid from her chair to kneel and gasp with amazement at the little guy.

"Oh Frank. All grown-up already?" she said and he preened as he pointed to Ianto and then himself.

"Yes, I know" she nodded, "Wow. How safe I feel now!"

He puffed out his wee chest and grinned, the teeth clacking.

She pulled open a drawer and found an old tazer gun that was long since broken and clipped it onto the belt as the Weevil made a shrill shriek of glee and she kissed the leathery face. As he run to show the others Ianto sighed and then told her what had been happening.

"It was the old case of everyone thinking the other person was watching them" Ianto sighed.

"Oh my god" she gasped, "What if a Z saw them, Dome or not he would have gone for them. The fright alone."

"I think it's time to revisit the idea of chipping the kids. Not under the skin but maybe a bracelet or something, some way to have them trackable on screen?" Ianto frowned, "I seem to remember GPS bands, right?"

"Yeah" she spun to wake mainframe up and soon he could see an old catalogue from Torchwood days. "These were available at Tech stores. I don't know if we have any, none are listed but they might have been mislabelled?"

"No. I don't' recall them" Ianto said and his memory was more reliable than the inventory list these days, "So. PDA update for these so each recon team remembers."

"You heading out soon, aren't you" she said more as an accusation than a question and he nodded.

"Jack thought I was with pup back there with the Zs. I'm not but I know he wants another so now we have a good year ahead I may try to fall once more for him." Ianto shrugged, "Dean is old enough now and I would like another wee one."

"Oh Ianto" she gushed, "You are such a nurturer."

He shrugged and headed to the transporters and found the 3Ms waiting patently, already in their little car seats in the VW that had the roof cut off, called the bug as it was red with black polka dots. The kids had painted in it lovingly over the winter as a project and it was permanently there for the 3Ms as the seats were for their sizes.

"You think you're going somewhere do you?" he teased as Frank growled at Dean to hurry up and clip him into the harness, the glee on their faces hard to deny. It meant slower moving as a dirt bike could do it in half that time the bug did but he was not going to say no.

Not with his little boy sitting there with a bandage on his knee.

"Where is your sister" he said and turned as he felt her approach, his smile as he watched her climb gracefully into the jump seat warm with affection, "My princess. There you are."

"Needed my eyeballs" She grinned back and clicked her harness, settling and slapping her welding goggles over her face with glee and waiting to go. Although Taddy didn't go as fast as Daddy, he did corner funnier, called drifting apparently and sometimes they almost hit the walls, but they never did.

Ianto slid his own safely glasses on and turned the key, a large growl filling the space since she was also missing some of her exhaust system due to a rock fall they had gone over early one morning.

They roared along the large tunnel with the kids screaming with glee as he drifted around each corner, his technical mind precise as always and Frank's laugher sounded like a cat being choked to death, something that had startled them first time they heard it.

They reached FB and Ianto helped unclip and lift Frank down, the other two helped by Hope and they all headed up towards the Police Station and the village above them. Ianto picked up his son with his poor sore knee and carried him called out to them, "Slow down Rosebud, Frank has his goggles on still."

She laughed as she turned to see him with them on, bright orange swimming goggles and she reached out to slide them up onto his head making him look like some strange Steampunk character.

"Sweetie, you look so cool" she crooned, kissing his leathery face as he adoringly held onto her hips.

Owen crowed like a proud father as he looked at his little Security Officer strutting into the hospital and Ianto watched Gretel react with shock, then interest as she looked at the little weevil who was now sniffing her with interest.

"They are called Weevils" Ianto said softly.

"I've seen one before, in London one night. It have an orange boiler suit on and sort of …looked like Quasimodo the way it run in front of the jeep" she said, "When everything went tits up they must have come out to see what was happening, or maybe to escape the city like we did."

Ianto was pleased as she smiled and held out a hand for Frank to examine, the little nose wrinkling as he looked at her ring and then he pointed.

"No. That shiny is hers" Ianto said calmly and he nodded. "Maybe you can choose a shiny from the Shiny Box for being a good boy who got Bella's ribbon back."

A weevil doing a happy dance is a funny thing to watch, his arms waving as he hooted.

Uncle Yano is so cool.


	11. Chapter 11

11

One of the stipulations for Jack was that they have a house at each site. One at Holdfast, one at Shangri-la and one here at Fallback.

This one had been made as a log cabin by someone who loved wood with a vengeance and when he had seen it, Jack had gone into raptures. Who was Ianto to deny him, especially when he found how deep the cellar went and how close the rock wall was to a tunnel.

Yep.

Fallback was living up to its name with more than one escape route to the underground tunnels once they had pushed through and Ianto found he quite liked the spiral staircase, even if he had freaked out the first time their baby had tried to get down it.

Even now, Dean was happy to sit on his wee butt and bounce down, Frank copying as Bella refused to go up or down without an adult to carry her.

Afraid of heights that one.

Ianto let his hand slide around the tree trunk that the staircase wrapped around and slowly twisted upwards towards the bedroom that was more of a wardrobe as they slept on the first level when here so their babies could find them in the night without those stairs being a worry for Ianto.

Jack was changing his clothes when Ianto walked in to watch him silently, chewing the inside of his cheek.

"Our wee man OK?" Jack asked and Ianto nodded.

"The 3Ms are in the tunnel house" Ianto answered and Jack turned to speak, finding himself getting lifted and dumped onto the bed as Ianto advanced.

"Holdfast?" Jack squeaked as Ianto snarled and pulled his t-shirt off, descending on him.

There were no words spoken as Ianto crushed their mouths together as well as their bodies, his hard-on straining against Jack's thigh as Jack moaned happily. He squirmed under Ianto as lips swept over his body like Ianto was licking him clean and soon he was panting as he begged silently with his hands for Ianto to finish him.

For delicate, soft hands that denied Ianto's hard work they were strong and he kneaded skin and muscle, making Jack tense and moan as he probed and examined him and their eyes were locked together as they moved in unison.

Panting into each other's mouths as they moved, only a slight widening of Jack's eyes a warning that he was getting close to losing his mind as Ianto teased him.

Ianto slid in and started to pound out a rhythm, his frustration at finding the children like that spurring him on as he growled and leaned in, biting into Jack's neck as he came and he snapped his hips as Jack grunted and clung to him, his mouth wide open as he struggled to pull in air, only to have it forces out with each thrust from his glorious husband.

Gods, it was glorious.

Jack loved the way Ianto took him so savagely sometimes.

As they lay debouched and gasping for air, and soft huffs of laughter, their skin cooled on the spring air and Jack watched goose bumps appearing on his love's skin.

"Like braile" Jack whispered.

"Huh?" Ianto grunted.

"Your skin is covered in Braille" Jack rolled and ran his fingertips over it, "This says you are angry. You are frustrated and satiated as well."

Ianto huffed as he watched Jack's face, so full of love as he brushed his stomach, "This says soon. Maybe. Not yet."

"No Cariad" Ianto reached out and stroked his hair back from his forehead, "Not yet. Maybe later this year, once the harvest is done we can look at that. Yeah?"

Jack looked up with raw hope as he had been denied last year due to the thaw not arriving, "Really? Another? You sure?"

"Yeah" Ianto pulled him up to cover him with his warmth, "Maybe by Christmas I will have fallen again."

Jack nuzzled the neck of his wonderful Welsh Wolfling and hoped it would be so.

A pregnant Ianto over the winter months when he would rest and let others fuss would be best. Lovely and so damned exciting to even dream about. Jack imagined cuddling with him down in the Stronghold, crooning and rubbing a bump as their children celebrated the holiday. The well earned break from work that winter demanded of them.

"Babies, babies everywhere" Jack whispered.

"And not a one to nurse" Ianto laughed as Jack snorted and leaned in to kiss him some more.

"Come on baby" Ianto sighed, "Let's go see how that little boy is doing. We promised a CB radio so they can contact their own family back where they came from."

"How do you feel about it?" Jack asked.

"Hopeful" Ianto thudded. "I feel no fear or worry at their arrival. I wonder if this is the beginning of the new days for us. Somewhere else to barter with, to trade with and maybe an alliance."

"Would be nice to have someone friendly for a change" Jack agreed as he watched his love rise and walk naked to the rack of clothes. "I've had enough nasties."

"Oh I am sure that there are plenty of those Cariad" Ianto sighed, "We will never have a shortage of foes."

Jack flopped back and sighed as he was forced to agree.


	12. Chapter 12

12

The team had already left, making Ianto uneasy as he learnt Giles was with them.

"Why?" he demanded, "This is not his chore?"

"He said he wanted to reassure them that the child was OK and was curious if they had anything to trade" Mathew said, "Anyway. He's security, right? Why. Do you still not trust him?"

Ianto fought the urge to bristle, "It's not that I don't trust him. I don't trust this entire thing right now. The fewer people they meet the better. I am sure Giles will be polite, he's good at that."

"Well then" Mathew snorted and Ianto felt himself starting to clench his fists so he left.

He was in the kitchen when word came that they had retuned and called a meeting. Really? An urgent one here at FB which meant the others had to take part via com-link rather than in person as preferred.

Ianto walked in and sat watching Giles preen as he whispered excitedly to Morris who seemed interested if a little annoyed by the constant touching of his arm.

"Right." Morris called the meeting to order as the screen flickered and Poppy leaned forward to listen clearer in the corner of the frame.

"I have spoken with them" Giles immediately took the floor and Ianto looked at Morris to call order but he seemed too surprised to stop him. "They have crops, and they say they have a large cache of fuel. They also said they lost their stock in the long winters so they are desperate to trade. They hunt what they can but the Zs are too close for gunshots."

"What was the offer?" Poppy asked as Vic wrote on a pad silently beside him.

"They are willing to give up a truck full of fuel for twenty head of cattle and thirty of sheep."

Ianto's head shot up as he gaped and Poppy caught the movement their end, grunting his agreement with the unspoken question. He asked it, "How dis they know we have that much to give? That is almost half out current meat for this year. We have no idea what younglings we get and you know our cull numbers."

Giles looked uneasy for the first time as Ianto continued to stare a hole in his head.

"I hope you did not give an answer, or indication of agreement" Tosh said with a frown Ianto knew was her 'what the fuck' look.

"OF course not!" Giles snorted, "I told them that it was too much and I needed to talk to council about a counter offer. I did say we have a few pigs maybe."

Ianto made a noise and slumped in his char as his gaze now fell on Mathew who was trying to signal his husband to shut the hell up. Then Ianto wondered what it was that Mathew didn't want said if this was already out there so he leaned forward again, "Anything else for the table?"

"Well ….one more thing" Giles said as he leaned over the table, "It's delicate but needs to be said. The mother was telling them about the weevil. Apparently she was terrified and told them we have a monster here for a pet. They wanted assurances that if it is vicious it be …er…contained."

"Why would they think it vicious?" Ianto asked and Tosh answered with a snarl.

"I was monitoring the conversation on the CB and Frankie was never fucking mentioned" she spat, "They were told we have an animal living with us that is like an attack dog. And it was you that told them, not the woman. I thought you were warning them of Ianto so they might be wary. I had no idea you were going to use this as a platform to have a go at our boy."

Ianto turned to look at Jack and found his husband frowning as he considered, "So. Giles, I don't understand. Why should he be contained? I still don't get what you have against the little guy. He had never so much as …"

"He bit a child yesterday" Mathew said boldly, looking furtively at Sarah who rose to snarl at him.

"Hey. You asked for all the injured of the children for the last month" she accused, "You ever asked about him specifically. Is that why you looked down the list? Did you see that Preston bit Olivia quite badly on her arm? Twice? He is biting almost daily. Do we lock him up too?"

Ianto rose and made a noise in his throat, "I will not listen to this shit any more. Giles, you touch that boy and I will show you what a wild animal is and believe me, my bite is a lot more memorable that a little toddler's teething nips."

Ianto strode from the room and Owen folded his arms on the screen "So he says it, so it shall be. Fuck off Giles, we should have put you in a cage for what you did and here you go starting shit again. When will you learn?"

So as the arguments continued Jack rose to follow Ianto, finding him in the house packing.

"What are you doing?" he asked with surprise.

"I am taking my cubs and going to Shangri-la. You can do as you please as I know you have commitments at the moment but nothing I am doing is as important as their safety." Ianto said angrily shoving a shirt into a bag that was clearly Jack's.

"I don't want you to leave"

"Jack, don't you get it?" Ianto swung to face him, his face full of pain, "My boy ..our son is stronger than Hope. You've seen her Wolfling tendencies. How long before he has them too? She can't transform. Can he? Is he capable? Does Giles wonder that too?"

"Ianto, don't be fatalistic." Jack snorted "For the love of the goddess, he was talking about a juvenile weevil, not a child."

"Was he?" Ianto asked as he started down the stairs, "Is there a difference?"

Time to go.


	13. Chapter 13

13

Jack caught Ianto's arm on the stairs and yanked at him to stop.

"You are acting like we are under attack" he hissed.

"Aren't we?" Ianto swung to look at him and Jack saw the Wolfling in his snarl, "Go on Jack. Tell me we are not. What is this? First it's Frankie then we stop?"

Jack let go of his arm.

"Or…or is it Frankie and me" Ianto continued, "Then we stop?"

"Or Frankie, me, Hope and Dean? You?" Ianto poked Jack in the chest, "Giles is suddenly cleaning house and you don't see it? What the fuck is this. Their first contact was supposed to be Morris. He didn't even fucking go. Giles sweet talked him. I thought we agreed that he was never to have a place of power again. And yet here we are. Talking about caging a little boy because Giles is afraid of him. What of Marley? Is she to be locked up …wait he can't. May he will just have her exterminated."

"Calm down" Jack begged "Don't use that word. You know how I hate it. I need…I need to think"

"Good. Fine, you do that" Ianto nodded calmly as he leaned in and kissed Jack's cheek "Sorry I am snarling. It's not at you Cariad. It's at this bullshit. I will take the kids home and wait for you. OK?"

"Yeah" Jack sighed, watching as Ianto strode out the door.

Ianto found the children already in the bug, strapped in and ready to go with serious expressions as Hope sat with her arms folded in a look of sheer temper.

"Sweetling?"

"Something bad is happening" she said sulkily, "You are madder than Nainny when we stole the chocolate desserts."

"Yeah well, I am pissed as hell actually darling" he agreed, "We are going for a wee ride."

He took off and touched his coms to let Martha, Andy, Mickey, Tosh and Owen know that he had their children and where he was going, and Martha said she would meet him at the entrance to their tunnel.

As he slowed and pulled to a stop she strode towards him with a baby asleep strapped to her chest and q backpack, Andy and Mickey stepping out of the shadows with one each too, as well as weapons.

"Thought it might be nice to see your place" Mickey said with a sniff, "Maybe do a sleepover with the kids."

Little faces lit up and Frank swung his head to look at Ianto in silent question.

"Hey buddy" Owen said as he jogged over and handed Frank a little bag, "Here. You be good and have fun with the others. No more biting."

"He didn't really bite" Hope said to her uncle, "Holden was wrestling with me and pulled my hair. Frank was just trying to get him off coz he hurt me. It was a pinch with his claws and Holden is a cry baby."

"OK" Owen smiled, leaning in to kiss Frank and then he turned as Tosh arrived with Ifan in tow, "Someone else would like to come. He would like to help."

Hope lit up as she looked at him and he blushed as he held up his own back pack.

"I'll take that little man" Mickey said, hooking it over his shoulder, "I see an epic sleepover happening dude!"

As they headed along the tunnel to Ianto's special place he turned back to see Owen slumped, watching as Tosh took his hand.

They reached the entrance to Shangri-La and Ianto let them out into the fresh air, the kids immediately squealing as they ran off over the lavender grass.

"Fuck" Mickey spluttered, "What is this place."

"Exactly what the name suggests" Ianto replied, "It is a place that ….isn't. It's Shangri-la. Magical and ancient. Come on, come see my house. Bony has been at work and she is quite the crazy one."

"Oh my god" Martha said as they went to step into the entranceway.

"Marbles" Ianto giggled, "Apparently she said it would be nice with a marble floor and …" Ianto stopped to laugh softly, "Hope said she would need a lot of marbles. Ebony laughed along with us and then went and did just that. Hundreds of glass marbles with clear epoxy glue. Took days to dry and smelt terrible but look at my floor. Isn't it cute? Look at all the different cats' eyes and swirls. Look, even a few ball bearings thrown in."

"My god, it's beautiful." Martha sighed.

"I was jealous of the FB house you chose but shit Wolfman, this is mint!" Mickey crowed as he looked around.

"We have bedrooms on every level as well and a spacious yard for the children, all I need and totally Z free. The Dome is vines as you can see. Totally hidden and …well …mine."

Is Jack coming?" Martha asked as she watched Andy opening and shutting cupboards with clucks of interest.

"Yes. Once he has secured the choppers and finished his Security detail. Hopefully Billy and Marley do too." Ianto nodded.

He wanted all his babies here tonight.

Safe from Giles.

.

.

.

.

Thanks for the idea with the marbles Regina, see where a childhood story from your dear husband can go in my mental head?


	14. Chapter 14

14

Jack got back just before dusk, bringing a hot pot of Francine's stew with him and news that Giles had rubbed some fur the wrong way. Ianto's snort made him pause and grin at the terminology. People had noticed their absences at the evening meal and as Marley and Billy entered the house Ianto was informing Jack that his children were staying put until Giles could be the one controlled.

"I agree" Billy said as he kissed his Taddy's cheek, "No one is taking him seriously. Lots of eyes were rolling and some hushed 'now Giles' going on. By the time they realise he is being serious the damage could be done. I think the first thing should be to cut him off from communications. Should have been done already."

"It was" Jack huffed, "One of the rules was that he NEVER use them with an outside party again."

The baby was colicky and Martha was trying to soothe the poor wee fella when Ianto watched Frank approach, moaning with concern as he reached out to pat the little baby's back gently and croon.

"Thanks Frankie" Ifan said from the floor with the other children, "You are a good brother."

Frank crooned again, a melodic sound that did seem to calm wee Clarkson a bit.

Ianto rose to sort sleeping arrangements and soon everyone was settling for the night with Marley and Billy first to go up the stairs to bed.

Martha and her men headed for a back room on the first floor where there was a huge bed to accommodate several bodies and wearily fell into it with moans of delight. Little Clarkson in the port-a-cot sleeping like an angel beside the bed.

Ianto had let the kids make a blanket fort in the main room and they were all asleep, wrapped up in a ball like little kittens, Frank cradling Dean's head lovingly against his chest as Bella snored on his shoulder. Hope and Ifan framed the little kids and it looked so cute that Ianto felt a gush coming on.

"Awwwwwm where's the camera babe?" There it is. Captain Gushy Pants.

Ianto smiled as his husband took shots and crooned to the sleeping sweetlings like a loon and he rose to fold the sofa down, wanting to be near them tonight.

Jack watched and frowned, "Hon. Nobody is going to come cause shit."

"I know" he answered without looking up, "I just …for my peace of mind Cariad. Anyway, what if one wakes and needs the loo? We have others here tonight."

"OK, you are right as always" Jack went to get the extra bedding and soon they were snuggled on the bed watching the little faces in repose from the doorway of the fort.

"Almost makes you want to crawl in too" Ianto whispered and Jack snorted softly as he agreed.

They were just drifting off when the snoring started and Jack jumped, then started to giggle.

"Oh gods, I forgot about that" Ianto said with a snigger of his own as he peered in and slid from the bed to try and move Ifan onto his side.

Another explosive growl came from his throat, deep like in his chest as he emulated his Daddy with the deep snore of a contented man.

Finally Frankie slid from the huddle and forcibly shoved his brother who grunted and rolled, used to this method apparently and then Frank lay with his back to him, propping him up and went back to sleep.

"Did you see that?" Jack whispered, "Do you think the little weevil sleeps with him a lot?"

"Wouldn't be surprised" Ianto yawned, "He did seem to know how to roll him and stop the noise."

"Sweet little guy" Jack muttered as he drifted again and the two men fell asleep.

Ianto woke, staring into the dark with confusion as he tried to work out what had woken him.

Then the place exploded with noise and thunder, shouting and bright lights as both men struggled form the bed.

Frank was quicker.

He zeroed in on the nearest and most disliked intruder and ran for him, latching onto his crotch with a snarl of teeth.

A snarl that was echoed as a large, pissed Wolfling leapt at the three men standing there in shock with assault rifles.

They had just stepped into the wrong briar patch.


	15. Chapter 15

15

Jack was shouting for Billy as he entered the fray in his PJ bottoms and Ianto heard noise in the back room as Martha roared her own challenge.

"Jack, there are some in the back" the Wolfling roared and Jack slid on the floor, looking down and seeing blood with surprise, then he was on a knee, then rising and a gun he had wrestled off an intruder was being cocked and safety flicked off without even thinking, his only thought for the baby in the cot as Billy and Marley stood in front of the children protectively.

Jack entered and found Martha down as Andy screamed while he tried to get to her around Mickey who was struggling with two men.

Jack tapped them in the back of the head without blinking and then turned to Martha who was being helped to a sitting position with blood pouring down one side on her face.

"The bullet creased her temple" Jack said as he pulled a t-shit off the end of the bed and flicked it at them, "Apply pressure. I have cleaning to do."

"The Mouse follows the cheese" Mickey snarled and followed Jack who went out the broken window into the night only to find the Mara were well pissed too. Mickey stood with him watching a man fly apart like dried leaves. OK. Fine.

Jack re-entered and headed down the hall to the front room where he found a dead gunman in the kitchen that explained the blood, another in the main room near the children, a third one thrashing out the French doors as clickers said hello because Marley had moved from beside Billy to help her father-in-law.

Ianto?

Ah yes.

Giles.

Little Frank was still latched on and Giles now gave little squeaky moans as he sat leaning against the island between the main room and the kitchen with the weevil between his legs on his little hands and knees, his face totally immersed in the crotch.

Ianto was now in human form and naked as a jay bird, sitting on a kitchen chair with his legs primly folded watching Giles as he gulped like a fish out of water.

"Babe?"

"Could you check the babies please Cariad" Ianto said pleasantly, "They must be terrified."

Jack moved past Billy and knelt into the tent to find himself with a face full of Hope, her teeth gleaming as she snapped at him before recognising him, her baby brother firmly attached to her back like a limpet.

"It's OK darling, the baddies are contained now." He said and she nodded.

Dean shot past him out into the room calling for his friend and he slowed as he found Frank and Giles. He looked confused and looked to his Taddy for comfort.

Mickey was done sweeping upstairs and came back down to help Andy move Martha to the sofa to look at her scalp in the better light while she clutched the still sleeping baby and Bella started to cry softly as she saw her mother's bloody mask.

"It's OK pups" Ianto said calmly, "Uncle Giles is a bad man. A very bad man."

The swarm of clickers were feeding back though the French doors like oil dropped in water as Vic and Sean slammed into the house with wide eyes and blood on them.

"Are you OK?" Vic demanded with obvious anger, "There were two fuckers guarding the entrance to your tunnel. Dug in pretty well."

"We will clean when we go so the babies don't see the …"

"It's OK Uncle Sean" Hope said calmly, "Bad men deserve to die."

The clickers started to form and Marley's body became recognisable as Billy threw a blanket around her and kissed her face though the clickers swarming as her hair slowly draped down her back.

"Giles. What am I to do with you" Ianto asked sadly.

Poppy entered with his walking stick and looked at the chaos, then headed for the man who was now moaning as the pool of dark blood started to slow its escape from his body. He raised his stick and brought it down on Giles' head before anyone could react.

Frankie let go and turned to Ianto who opened his arms and the little weevil scuttled over to be comforted.

"FRANKIE" Owen was screaming with fear as he forced his way in, "IFAN"

"Dada!" Ifan called out, "We're OK. Uncles got the bad men and Frankie saved us."

Owen fell to his knees and pulled his son into his arms, weeping as he stroked his face and whispered that he loved him while Tosh sat dazedly looking at the carnage.

Then Owen looked at Giles and his savaged body and he turned to Frank.

"Frankie, do you do that?" he asked gently.

Frank looked at him and moaned softly, clutching at Ianto with fear as he nodded.

"Good boy" Owen crooned, "You good boy. Dada is so proud of his boy for being brave and protecting his friends. A real man does that, like the Uncles did. You are so wonderful, my wee man."

Frank smiled a fanged snarl as he realised he was not in trouble for biting this time.

"Always bite the bad man" Ianto whispered as he rubbed his face against the leathery one, "Always."

Frankie couldn't agree more.


	16. Chapter 16

16

Eventually they had a body count of nine.

Only Giles was theirs and it was startlingly clear that the others were from the other camp they had yet to parlay with. A cage was outside that would have fitted Frank and Ianto felt sick as he extracted a dog's muzzle.

"Well. We have two still alive" Owen said angrily, "Although I was tempted to let that fucker with the leg bleed out."

The Mara had been incensed and those outside had been treated to their own nightmare. Likely the one with the partially severed leg would walk again one day but his mind was damaged from what he had seen. He could only whimper and clutch at his own shirt with wide eyes.

"Meeting" Ifan huffed as he rose to look at the children once more, "Someone bring that bastard will you? His noises are upsetting the children. Feed him to the pigs or something. The breeding sows need some protein."

Giles started to scream anew as Mickey grabbed him by the hair and started to drag him away and Ianto was lightening quick, transforming as he flew from the chair so as he hit the floor in front of Giles it was Wolfling jaws that slathered in his face whispering at him to shut up.

He closed his mouth and whimpered through his lips with wide eyes as Mickey got him under the arms and dragged him out of the house, towards the tunnel entrance.

"I am staying with the kids, Cariad you go speak for us. Just get clothes on first. You are covered in blood." Ianto said, knowing none of it was Jack's as his unique smell was fine.

"Agreed" Jack said softly, "Billy? Marls? You two coming with or staying."

"You go" Marley said to Billy, "I will stay with the kids. I don't think I am fully calmed yet and someone trying to defend him might get a face full of clicker."

"Gods you are fierce" Billy crooned as he kissed her and then he looked down at Dean who was considering something. "What is it little man?"

"They come for Frank?" he finally asked, "They think they better?"

"Yes. They wanted Frank. I don't know if it was to cage or to give the other people for a pet or something. We will find out. You stay with Frank. You are safe here." Billy assured him, "You see? Twelve armed men and they didn't stand a chance. Right?"

Dean frowned and then he looked over at his Taddy, then at the one with least injuries who was sitting silently watching with his hands tied in his lap.

Dean walked over and looked into his face, a hand on the man's knee as the little boy examined his foe.

"He looks like a man" Dean said to the room, "Look. He is a man. No bogeyman. He looks real but he is bad. He wants my Frankie. Bad man."

"Dean" Ianto warned but Dean's head lowered and he growled as he sniffed the man, scenting him with his mouth open like a dog, tasting the air around him.

"What's he doing?" Andy asked.

"Imprinting" Ianto answered softly, "He is remembering this man's smell. If he smells it again, or a similar smell he will remember this night for the rest of his life. Any of them that enter our sites will be recognised from the soap their clothes are wished in, the shampoos they share. They all have that same smell. Like…tobacco and peppermint sort of. Hard to explain to a human but it marks them as from the same place. Dean is imprinting it into his memory and he will never trust that smell."

As Ianto spoke Hope took a step closer to her baby brother, her own head raised as she scented too and the man's eyes widened as he saw the weevil join in. Like a game.

But this was no game and Ianto knew his children were not going to ever forget the fear they were subjected to.

Or forgive it.

Seems their new friends might not work out after all.

Not only had Giles bought them into camp, down into the tunnels which gave away SH and HF as well, he had entered the place of the Mara.

Ianto sighed as he touched Jack's arm and leaned in close, "They cannot live to tell. They cannot take back what they saw here. Retcon or death Cariad."

"Agreed" Jack snarled, "Retcon or death."


	17. Chapter 17

17

Ianto didn't care to know what the decisions were, preferring to help the children build a better fort and they were soon in it giggling and wrestling when Poppy called out that there were visitors coming into the house.

Ianto sighed and looked at his son who screwed his face up to show his annoyance as well, then Ianto climbed out to find the committee sitting calmly at the kitchen table.

Then he hesitated as he saw a pale faced Mathew sitting there with shaking hands clasped together.

"Mathew" he sighed, sliding into a seat and seeing the bloodshot eyes that looked back with open fear, "I will not harm you. You have never harmed me or mine. I would never assume you could control him."

"I had no idea" Mathew sobbed "We found the CB in the basement behind some shelving. He had like…like…a little crawl space. Oh god, I trusted him. He promised and I was so stupid."

"He wants to resign" Morris said and Ianto snorted.

"Don't be stupid, FB would flounder without you and Morris here. Don't you see? Part of the problem was jealousy. You got the job he knew he could never have so he did all this" Ianto shook his head, "He wanted you to get the Head Overseer job, you didn't want it, wanting the Head Gardener job. He was pissed because he saw no chance of advancement. He did this to you as well. I do not see any malice in you. Please stay if only to spite him. Let him watch you be the man he can't be."

"The Outsiders also claim they didn't know what was going on. Apparently this group is ones that are always bucking the system" Vic said with a frown, "I say we burry them and move on, Giles too sorry Matty I don't want this to linger."

"We Retcon them and give them back, show we have teeth and are capable of such things, make them fear us. Wonder what else we can do" Art argued, Retcon already discussed, "Look. I would rather be feared than loved from outsiders."

Ianto realised they were all looking at him as the voices died away, waiting and he sighed as he shrugged.

"They may have families so I say Retcon, give them back the living and the dead. Show the condition of the bodies; let them speculate what did it, especially the one the Mara tore to pieces. We scooped him into some buckets." Ianto screwed his nose up.

Agreement was given and Ianto watched as the old man gingerly lowered himself to the ground and peered into the tent, "Frank, come here boy."

The weevil nervously scuttled over, his head down to show his worry and Poppy reached out to rub his head as he crooned, "good boy, you are a good boy, Poppy loves you."

Frank seemed to purr as he leaned into a hug and basked in Poppy's love.

"Frank was epic" Ifan said happily. "My brother is cool!"

"He's mine too!" Dean said angrily as he placed his little hands on his hips, "Frankie is for all of us to love!"

"Steady on Deano" Ifan said with a snort that made him look so much like his father as he tipped is head back, "I can share."

Dean snorted and took on his Daddy's stance as he went into Harkness Mode and stared him down, even though he was so much younger and smaller Ifan shrugged to show no hard feelings.

Ianto rose and decided to make coffee, enjoying the soft sighs as the aroma of the rare coffee beans filtered through the house.

"God, I thought we were out" Poppy said with glee.

"I have a secret stash here in Shangri-la" Ianto said softly, "It's the last of it. I hope to hell we find some freeze dried stuff next recon. Gods, it would be lovely to find some plants, or seeds."

"Yeah, the crop failing was like a low blow" Mickey agreed as he eagerly accepted a cup.

"We will get more, I am sure of it" Ianto assured them, "Last ditch effort is to ask the Mara and I would rather not because they have done so much already. It's petty to ask for a bloody drink source"

"I'll ask" Mickey said and they all laughed as they knew he was deathly afraid of the woodland creatures he still had yet to see clearly.

"So. The outsiders" Ianto sighed.

"We will swap their people for the trailer of fuel" Sean said sadly, "We will Retcon those we give back that are still alive, and return the dead too. We will not Retcon the wee boy, that is unfair and maybe he will only confuse them. Owen says Retcon might react badly with the anaesthetic he had to give him."

"Really? Ianto asked with genuine surprise.

"Yes" Martha answered, "He may be safe by the time of the handover but then …what a story from the lips of a wee babe. We even let him see the Wolfling before he goes back and then anything he says will be a fairytale to them."

"A woman who explodes into bugs would be cool too" Marley leaned forward as she got excited.

"And if UNIT are part of the outsiders?" Ianto asked dryly, "How confused would they be?"

"Ah!"

The table sat back and wondered.

"Fuck it. Retcon 'em all" Owen huffed. "He'll be safe to do in a day's time. Give us time to sort the drop points and shit."

"AGREED"

Ianto sighed as it seemed he was once more calling the shots.

But this time ….

He felt good about it.


	18. Chapter 18

18

Ianto stayed separate to the handovers, glad they decided to only partially Retcon the little boy. His memoires hazy with suggestions that he watched a scary movie one night with another child.

There was a soft rain, more like a thick mist and he let the children out to play naked, the weevil overly excited as they all squealed and laid out empty containers to collect the rain for water wars.

No children looked at each other and wondered about their differences, they were all different, all unique. Something Ianto was trying to instil in all their babies. Girls, boys, weevil …it didn't matter. Everyone could provide, everyone could protect and everyone belonged.

This is why he was glad Mathew had decided to stay.

Giles was another matter and it made Ianto feel ill knowing they had to address him sooner or later. He couldn't live in the bloody police cells. Mathew didn't need that either.

Frankie squealed, bringing Ianto's wanderings back to earth and he turned to see the weevil chasing Hope with a plastic container half full of water as she laughed.

Ifan heroically threw himself in front of her as the water flew and both boys yelled at each other angrily as the water dripped from Ifan's hair. Dean decided laughter was the best option and then gasped as Bella calmly walked over and threw her container over Hope from behind making her scream with horror.

Ianto started to laugh as the little girl turned to run, heading straight for him and she climbed into his lap to look triumphantly at her cousin, knowing she was home free.

"Cheater!" Dean yelled and she poked out her tongue, Ianto rising to place her down and her face changed to horror as the other children moved in.

"Uncle?" she asked in a small voice and he scooped her up as the first lot of water flew, missing her and hitting Dean.

"Frank?" Dean asked with shock, "Ya wetted me man!"

Frank grinned.

More screaming now as they all took off after the weevil who was screaming with laughter as he headed for the trees and Ianto called out with alarm as he misjudged and collided with a branch.

A little known fact about weevils is that they have bad eyesight, bright sunny days are a bugger.

Ianto ran over as he started to cry and gathered him up, kissing his wee face and crooning as he checked his head then he found a bump forming.

"Oh darling" Ianto crooned, "You want your Dadda, yeah?"

Frank nodded as Ifan pushed in to check his brother, his face so Owen-like as he kissed the bump gently and declared it a naughty bump.

Ianto gathered all the children up to dress and they headed for the bug, the 3Ms clicking in and Hope shifted in her seat so Ifan could sit with her, his blush as cute as hers as she offered him her goggles.

"He can wear Daddy's" Ianto suggested and soon they were hurtling along with the two children beside Ianto hugging each other as they screamed with glee.

Ianto slowed as they neared the Stronghold and Rhys looked up from the motorbike he and Mickey were working on as the Bug drifted into view. Mickey grinned as he watched his daughter draw near, her face open as she laughed with her hand firmly in Frank's.

They skidded to a halt and Ifan started to laugh again, slapping at his Uncle, "AGAIN!"

"When we go home you speed demon" Ianto laughed, "You can go get your goggles in the meantime and a change of clothes. Hope, take Frankie to Uncle Owen."

The kids took off and Ianto watched as Rhys followed, showing the new 'Child Watch' was in place until they could get those wristlets.

Speaking of which.

Ianto went in search of Jack, finding him laughing with Poppy about something and they smiled as he came over for a hug.

"Cariad, about the recon…" Ianto stopped speaking as he leaned in and took a deep breath, breathing in Jack's unique cent.

"Babe?" Jack said softly, "Your Grandfather is right here Holdfast, can you not wait?"

"What have you been eating?" Ianto crooned as he nuzzled into Jack's neck, "Gods, you smell delectable."

Jack giggled as Ianto's tongue licked behind his ear and then he squeaked as teeth nipped playfully.

"Jesus!" he squeaked "Ianto!"

"You smell….sweet" Ianto purred and Jack swallowed as his eyes slid to Ifan who was already backing away.

"I don't know if this is your normal mating thing but…" he was laughing and Ianto stepped back from Jack with a grunt of shock.

"Jack? Are you ovulating?"

"What?" Jack blinked with confusion.

"Jack, you smell…I mean. Your hormones are making you edible. No birth control anymore, remember? Are you in your cycle?" Ianto said and Jack stared at him.

"It's been so long since I….I mean I never thought to…shit" Jack looked down as he flipped his VM open and touched a few buttons, then he stalled.

"Am I right?" Ianto demanded, "Are you ovulating?"

"No"

"Jack?"

"The rain, everything happening and…shit. I was. I was ovulating, started maybe two days ago." Jack looked at Ianto and gave him a few seconds to remember what they had done a few days back.

"No" Ianto said softly as he looked down at Jack's belly.

"Yeah" Jack started to smile, "Looks like it's my turn now."


	19. Chapter 19

19

They headed for Owen's place for a scan, Jack certain as his VM clearly showed the hormone increase but knew Ianto wanted it all documented.

As they entered Ianto heard the unmistakable groaning of labour.

"Oh dear goddess, Ebony?" Ianto called out as he rushed into the room to find her bearing down with her teeth bared and tears rolling down her face. "Shit woman, I told you he was a biggie this time."

Ianto hurried over and knelt in front of her, allowing her to seize his shoulders as she growled again, pushing as her hands gripped him.

"Brilliant" Ianto said calmingly, "Look at you. A pro at everything you create, come on give me a baby to smother."

She laughed weakly and growled again as Boomer rubbed her back encouragingly.

"Come on girl" Ianto whispered, "get that bloody thing out of you and recover for the recon next month."

As he said it her face it up and she screamed as she bent her knees more and Boomer barked with shock as his son slithered into Owen's arms.

"What the fuck did you say to her, she's only been labouring for half a bloody hour!" Owen spluttered.

"Recon next month, need a wingman because Jack is likely to be benched." Ianto grinned as he let Boomer cuddle his wife and new life.

"Benched?" Owen asked with confusion.

"Yeah. I think I'm up the duff" Jack said proudly, "My turn to provide a baby for the mad man here."

"Oh my god" Ebony panted as she turned to look at them and the afterbirth didn't even rate a flinch, "Are you kidding?"

"Nah" Owen said as he held the Singularity Scalpel at arm's length, "Jack's in the family way alright. You bastard, just. Only just but …yeah. Awwww I lose the bet."

"Bet?" Ianto asked, suddenly wary as he moved closer to Jack

"The bet of who was going to have the whiniest pregnancy this new year" Owen pouted and Jack reached out to slap him but he was giggling as he skipped out of reach. "Oh I can see it. Me ankles, me bum….oh me poor lovely boobies….oh Holdfast look at me tummy."

"I can still thump" Jack snarled as he chased Owen, the glee on both their faces betraying their delight in the shared news.

"One day Owen will slip on something and Jack will catch him" Ianto said to Ebony as he handed her a warm flannel, "And neither of them will know what to do."

They laughed and Boomer handed the bub to his new Uncle, helping Ebony into the bath that had finished running. It had been for a discarded water birth but now she just wanted to get clean.

"He's perfect" Ianto said softly "Look at these edible little fingers. Aw Bony, you make such lovely babies."

She smiled as she watched him gush, "Does he look like a Roger?"

Ianto leaned back and canted his head, "No. Sorry. More of an ….Adam or… maybe a Noah or ….Hmmm."

Ianto leaned in to look at the child carefully and then his face softened, "If he were mine I would call him perfect and all else doesn't matter."

Boomer huffed as he accepted the bundle, looking down at the serene child. All the babies calmed when Ianto had welcomed them and now this little one seemed interested in his surroundings.

"Look at him" he whispered, "Leo. Like Galileo. Welcome back to this world great adventurer and thinker."

"Oh yes!" Ianto gasped, "Perfect Boomer. Leo. Strong, purposeful, leaderful and protective. Oh, I love it."

"With a mother like her, he will be creative for sure" Jack said as he returned, "Leo is it?"

"Oh he's adorable" Ianto was in full gush, his hands clasped as he looked at his husband, "Can you see his eyes? Green!"

"Oh, my Mama's eyes were green" Boomer was looking again, "Wow, I thought they were blue. You're right. Green like my mama's."

"Leo is perfect" Ianto sighed as he leaned into Jack's arms, "The kids are gonna go mental. Frank has that little car still in its packet that he was holding up to the bump the other day, do you think he could sense a boy in there or was just hopeful of another boy to play with?"

"No babe" Jack replied, "He gave that flower to Ifan, remember? He doesn't assign gender. Maybe because all weevils look the same regardless of sex, they instinctively don't recognise it?"

"Oh he does" Owen snorted as he sat to watched the parents and baby, "Blossom caught him in her dress the other day and went to scold him. Know what he did?"

"What." Jack asked.

"He did that flick of the back thing like it was a kilt and showed her his bare arse." Owen snorted, "Braveheart all over again. He knows he is a boy, he just doesn't see it as important."

Somehow the image of a weevil displaying it's arse was too funny and Ianto slipped out to laugh without disturbing the baby, his deep boom echoing through the village as others stopped their work to grin automatically at the sound of mirth.

Holdfast was happy once more.


	20. Chapter 20

20

The Bug was belting along with the music blaring loudly.

The kids were half asleep in the back, nodding their heads to the music as 'Thunderstruck' boomed of the walls. Their goggles gave them a Steampunk air, their little bobble hats bright and cheerful in the dark tunnel.

Ianto was tapping a finger against the steering wheel, swinging around a corner and he slowed automatically knowing a sharper turn was ahead and the music came to an end as the song changed.

Ianto heard something, slowing the Bug and reaching for the radio. Dean sighed softly as he shifted to put his head against Frank's and Hope reached back to slide a blanket over their knees as Ianto let the Bug drift to a stop, canting his head as he tried to figure out what the gentle thumping was.

"Music?" Hope asked as she turned back to listen as well, her little head canted in parody of her Taddy's.

"No, it's too…it's not a rhythm. More like someone is hitting something…." Ianto's face changed as he touched the coms, "Tosh?"

"Yes Ianto"

"Any motion sensors going off near us?" Ianto asked, even as he knew, by the gods he knew the answer.

"Weird" she replied, "A constant spiking, not large but…is someone hitting something?"

"Tosh run it back, those sensors we put at the opening to the tunnels at the northern end, near the…others" Ianto asked and she huffed as she told him there had been nothing or she would have….

"Well?" Ianto demanded, "How many of them? Did the cameras pick them up?"

"Shit" she spat, "They knew they were there and tried to avoid them, who…fucking Giles!"

Ianto frowned as he listened to the thumping again, "Tosh? How deep under the water table are we? That underground stream…shit. The thaw."

Ianto started up the bug and swung to the now awake children, "I want you all to tighten your harnesses!"

They obediently tightened their harnesses and Frank grabbed for a hand either side, his beady eyes fixed on his beloved Uncle as Ianto hit the gas and he did one of the things he thought he never would with his pups in the vehicle.

He drove like it was the SUV on a weevil hunt.

The bug crunched against a wall and Tosh demanded to know what it was, his terse reply that a fender was gone not much comfort as he growled and increased speed.

The klaxons started to sound, signalling the evacuation of the Stronghold and Ianto cursed as his ears picked up the change in pitch. Tosh's voice came over the loud speakers.

 **ATTENTION WE HAVE UNFRIENDIES DRILLING IN THE TUNNELS AND THEY ARE ABOUT TO RELEASE THE UNDERGROUND STREAM TO THE NORTH. WATER IS EXPECTED TO FILL THE LOWER LEVELS EVACUATE NOW I REPEATE EVACUATE NOW**

"Tosh, they're almost through" he panted, "Shit. The stupid fucks are almost through. They hit that and it will be a domino effect."

He growled as he calculated and knew he would never reach FB as intended.

"Tosh, FB is too far, I have to head for the FB house nearer to us" Ianto explained.

"The Bug is too small for that" she gasped and he grunted as he agreed. Poor Bug.

Hope had listened and realised what was happening so she looked back at Dean, "Squish in, we gonna squish the Bug."

His eyes widened as he reached across to grab Bella's hands and pulled her onto Frank's chest, the Weevil clutching them both as Ianto neared the turnoff for the FB house and he squeaked with horror as the vehicle swung into it and instantly slammed against the sides of the entrance, pieces tearing off.

"Sorry" Ianto shouted, "No time darlings."

He could smell it.

Water.

Then a distant roar.

"Tadda?" Hope whimpered as she watched his teeth gleam and the lights in the tunnel flickered, then died.

"I want you all to get out of your harnesses now!" Ianto demanded and the little ones looked around with fear, the vehicle still moving, "NOW!"

They shook as they did as he said and as the Bug slammed into the bottom steps of the stairs up to the house. Ianto threw himself cross the dash and caught them easily as they shot forward into his arms.

"Come on out, out, out, go!" Ianto yelled and the kids scrambled, the door flying open above them as Jack looked down with a pale face, reaching out for Hope.

Ianto lifted the kids up to him, Frank refusing to go until last and as Ianto lifted the little weevil he felt the first splashes of water and then the great wall of it, like a black monster filling the tunnel heading straight for them.

Ianto felt Jack's hand around his wrist and then he was heaved up into the basement, "RUN!"

They headed up to the top story and Ianto looked back with Dean and Frank in his arms, seeing the water as it started to seep up through the floorboards. They waited on the top level and Jack told everyone listening that they were OK then they watched the water as it came spilling out from the basement and crept across the floor.

"Cariad?"

"It's ok babe, it will drain away" Jack assured him, looking over at their children now all huddled on the bed with pale faces.

"That's it" Ianto snarled, "They punched their card!"

Jack nodded as he placed his hand to his stomach, the life within growing strong.

This time he was going to unleash his husband and let him go.

No matter what the others decided …Ianto had already made up his mind.

He watched the water as it stopped moving and sat, then gradually started to slide back as it drained away and he frowned at the floor.

A lot of cleaning ahead.

Tonight, Ianto was going to clean house.


	21. Chapter 21

21

Marley arrived in a hail of clickers and materialised in the bathroom where she took one of the robes to cover herself.

"I came straight over, Billy will follow once the water has gone down enough as it is still waist deep in some places" she said as she strode into the room and climbed onto the bed with the kids, "It's OK. The water is going away. This time tomorrow there will just be some puddles down there."

"The Bug got drowneded" Dean whispered and she crooned as she kissed his cheek.

"Billy will work on a new one with Mickey" she assured him, "It's OK."

Ianto was changing clothes into something old and Marley rose from the bed.

"I'm coming too" she said and Ianto nodded as Jack looked over at them.

"Ianto, the committee…."

"Will talk about it, consider it and vote" Ianto said as he kicked off his boots and slid the pants down to swap for the track pants, "I don't have time for this shit. That was almost our pups. Don't you see Jack? I have to end this. Now."

"I'm not arguing with you love" Jack soothed, "I wish I could come."

"You can't" Ianto hugged him, running his hands over his back, "You have a bun in the oven that we can't afford to risk. Besides, with Billy not here and Marley going with, who else would I trust with the babies?"

"I know" Jack sighed, their kiss slow.

"It's time they remembered who and what I am" Ianto said firmly, "Not just the team. Some might not know, some should know but by this time tomorrow…they will all know not to fuck with us."

"Agreed" Marley said as she untied the robe, "I'll go ahead Taddy. Let you know what my many eyes can see."

"Good girl" Ianto said and Jack stood at the front door watching his husband and daughter-in-law slink into the shadows, transforming into wolf and clicker swarm.

Gods he wished he could be there just to see their faces before they die.

Ianto moved swiftly in the dark, driven with rage and as he passed one of Tosh's sensors he never blinked, wraithing along as the swarm overtook him and disappeared into the dark.

The sound of clickers went silent and Ianto ran until he found Marley swarming in a spot hear an old fence line, almost half her mass.

"Can you speak?"

YES

"Are they asleep?"

FOUR ON WATCH I TAKE ALREADY

"Right, they all there?"

NOT WOMEN AND CHILDREN - THEY AT SITE FURTHER BACK

"Right. OK." Ianto considered, "We kill all on watch and those at the checkpoint. We let the children and women live, those back at their camp. With a warning."

YES TADDY I DO NOW

Ianto lopped along and into the screaming as Marley showed her miniature teeth. He passed though the writhing bodies and swiped at those running to help, finally stopping at the camp where people were huddled as they listened to their night watch die.

Ianto crept around the edge of the firelight, his Wolfling eyes adjusting, then he calmly walked into camp in his largest transformation.

"Hello" he growled, "Some of yours came my way today and I take offence. I have eaten them. Tasty."

More than one person stared to pray and Ianto canted his head, "That won't help you. Remember in the bible, the end of days? We've got the dead walking the earth, the year long winter and now…"

Marley swarmed into the camp and swirled around Ianto like a miniature tornado, "Now there is pestilence. If you piss me off again you will find the end of days is upon you."

"What are you" a woman bravely asked.

"The protector of the south" he replied, "If you come my way again I shall return to smite you."

"What are you." she repeated as the swarm thickened and Marley became solid enough to be a human form, walking towards them.

WE ARE DEATH

Ianto was impressed that she had anticipated his reply and they spoke as one, their unified stance unnerving, even for Ianto.

"We see you, we hear you, we smell you and we will kill you if you step one foot past the fence line." Ianto snarled, "I let you have your dead. Those who came after my pack, as I said, I have eaten. Next time I will come back and eat your young."

"Oh dear god" a mother whimpered as she hugged a child to her breast.

"God?" Ianto swung his head and allowed himself a toothy grin, "Do you really believe there still in one?"

The giggles erupted in the dark around them as the Mara decided to let themselves join in and now even the remaining men who stood forward retreated to hold their partners and children.

"We are everywhere" Ianto said, "In the trees, on the breeze and in your nightmares"

Ianto turned to lope off into the darkness with Marley following, the giggles of the Mara dulling as they approached the fence line and Ianto stopped to look back.

The Mara's laughter carried on the breeze, becoming more sinister before fading away.

Last warning.

Next time, he will kill them all.


	22. Chapter 22

22

Ianto was still thrumming with anger as he walked into the Police Station and Mathew looked up from the table he was sitting at, pushed up to the bars of the cell Giles was huddled in. The adult diaper did look stupid but Owen had at least stitched Giles up enough to survive Frank's ire.

Ianto's bite however was another matter.

"What is that" the Wolfling snarled as he pointed at the open file and scattered pieces of paper.

"I was trying to work out what else he told them, this code is too hard to work out and Tosh seems to think it isn't one, just a red herring" Mathew explained.

"Shouldn't be up to you to interrogate him" Ianto huffed as he walked closer to the bars, "Let me in."

"Security is on high alert and…it is my job. He may have broken my heart but he will not break my fucking spirit" Mathew said angrily and Ianto nodded.

"I am here to end him" Ianto said conversationally, "You may want to leave as you do still love him. I will not be kind. He has cost us a lot of work and some of our electronics. I am going to tear him to pieces and feed what is left to the wilds."

Giles started to whimper, then babble, "I'll tell you, I'll tell you!"

Mathew took a deep breath, "Then say now or I leave."

"The book, the one you gave me" Giles slammed against the bars, "It's the key. Page number, Paragraph down, Sentence down and words in from the left"

Mathew stormed off and Ianto settled into the chair as he transformed to human form, the blood now clearly visible on his white skin with the dark fur no longer hiding the gore.

Ianto smiled, his teeth still Wolfling and Giles whimpered as Mathew returned with Jack.

"Billy has waded through the water, the little shit" Jack's voice betraying his pride in their son.

Right, lets see" Mathew had a dog-eared copy of Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot' and he looked at the first set of numbers, flipping through and counting, then writing down the word.

"I've read it" Ianto said as he reached for the piece of paper, "Borrowed it last year. Let me see now I have the cipher."

Mathew handed over the piece of paper with confusion and Ianto looked at it intently.

"OK" Ianto sighed, "This is telling him to meet them at the sty. Time, place. Even how many were going to come for the raid. Fuck."

"Oh Giles" Mathew said sadly, "Why?"

"To be needed" Giles pouted with a shrug, "I thought…I could stop them, look like I had helped."

"Ianto?" Robyn entered with a phone, "Poppy wants you."

"Tell him it's already done and Giles is about to follow" Ianto said without taking his eyes of Giles and Giles turned to Jack for help.

"I'm pregnant" Jack said flatly, "You almost killed my children, including the one inside me. If I had taken a bullet to protect my babies it would have cost one. You will get no help from me. I would rather let wee Frank at you again."

"You can't kill me in cold blood" Giles whimpered.

Jack shrugged and then pulled out the Webley, the noise loud in the space as Jack fired and Giles' head flipped back as the top of it flew off and the wall was splattered with brain matter. Mathew let out a chuff of air as he stared at the body of his former lover, flopping in the cell like a fish out of water.

"I suggest you move this building over to the corn field and burn it. We build a new office here for you." Ianto said with a snarl, "Unless you are happy to still work here."

"Why give up a perfectly good building for him" Mathew started to weep and he angrily wiped his tears away, "Fuck. How the hell do I get over this. I was so stupid to trust."

"We all trust" Ianto soothed, "We have to take that step into the unknown and hope the freefall is into something nice, not a fucking ravine."

Mathew nodded and thanked Ianto, then looked into the cell.

"Others will clean it up" Ianto screwed his face up, "Don't worry."

Ianto walked with Jack over to the house and he used the outside shower to clean the blood off while Jack went in and got some clothes.

The kids all looked relieved to see him and Marley smiled, "See? Told you."

"Hey stinks" Ianto crooned as he fell into the tent and soon growing and giggles were heard as he wrestled with them.

The Mara retreated as they saw their Wolfling settle and they went back to finish what was started.

They protect their own as well.

And really….

All those children just ripe for a cuddle were too good to pass up.


	23. Chapter 23

23

Ianto walked the tunnel, strangely bereft without little ones along for a ride and he hoped they could sort another mode of transport soon, all the vehicles down in Stronghold needed recovery with water though their engines.

He slowed as he came to a puddle and he checked it's depth with his boot, satisfied that it wasn't deep.

He began walking again, trying to hum but his heart wasn't in it and he sighed as he realised his melancholy hadn't shifted like he had hoped.

He came to the bend that led to his Shangri-la and hesitated, unsure of what he was going to find and then with a deep breath he walked into the little bubble and sighed as he saw the water mark at the edge of the door.

Of course the water couldn't reach this little spot.

Ianto walked to his house and entered, walking the marble floor, smiling as he looked down at the silliness of it and then he checked the house, glad to see there was nothing amiss. They had even cleaned up the blood.

Ianto sat then looked at the pristine house, the children's things all packed away as well and wondered what he was doing.

Then he saw the muzzle, discarded in their haste and he rose to hook it with a finger, now looking at it with a clear head and realising it would never fit Frank. It was a dog muzzle and a Weevil face would just be able to slide it off.

No, this was clearly for a small breed of….

Ianto sat heavily on the sofa and gripped the muzzle tightly as he fought nausea, the reality sinking in that this was not what he had thought, it was worse. Much worse.

He rose and transformed, running to HF and finding their quarters down below in SH water logged so he rose to dress in the great house's spare room. Jack had several changes laid out, knowing Ianto would dress according to mood and he pulled the trousers and white cotton shirt on angrily, shooting the cuffs as he straightened the jacket and for the first time in years, a three piece suit was finally slid into place.

Ianto knew Jack would probably cream himself to see Ianto finally in his favourite mode, slutty pissed archivist.

He walked calmly into the meeting room where a meeting was in progress and the room fell silent with surprise as Jack openly groaned lustily.

Ianto walked to the table and flicked the muzzle onto it, still looking firmly at Jack.

"We were just discussing the carnage we found" Mickey said conversationally as others moved in their seats, "Seems there was a mishap in the night."

"Shit happens" Ianto replied, still looking at Jack who was now examining the muzzle with interest.

"Might have been nice if we all talked about it first" Vic said softly, "Was a bit of a surprise is all."

Jack leaned back and held the muzzle up with one finger, "How the hell was this gonna fit on him?"

"Well, they were assuming the trauma of seeing us murdered would force him to transform and then it would have been easy Cariad" Ianto said calmly, not blinking as he maintained eye contact.

"Transform?" Owen asked with confusion, "Frank doesn't transform. He is what he is."

Tosh was now looking at the dangling muzzle and her face started to change as she caught up with the conversation, "It's not for Frank, Owen."

"Huh?"

"It would not have fit a weevil" she sighed as she shook her head, "It's the size of a small dog. It wasn't for Frank, they were after someone else."

Ifan huffed as he reached out and took the muzzle from Jack's finger and he laid it out, looking at the size of it more closely, "Kill you? What were…..Bastards. Fucking bastards. Did you let any live, I would have massacred the entire fucking bloodline."

"Whoa, Ifan!" Art gasped as everyone watched the old man bristle.

"Yeah, slow your roll there Poppy, ya gonna blow" Mickey said softly as he reached out to pat his arm.

"The boy" Ifan said as he looked up at his sullen grandson, "They weren't after Frank, they were after Dean."

Now the room was silent as they tried to comprehend the accusation.

"It's the only thing that makes sense. A dog cage, a dog muzzle and they were trying to get into the main room all the time. I thought for me, then we thought for Frank. It wasn't. They wanted their own Wolfling. It was Dean. Hope is already too strong to control but a little toddler…well. In time he could be trained right?"

Robyn stood, "I feel sick. I can't…no. Jesus Christ."

"What do we do?" Boomer asked softly as he shook his head and wrenched his hands from the table when offered the muzzle, like it might contaminate him with the bad vibes.

"We hang this right there on the wall!" Ianto said pointing to a hook, "We remember this. We never forget what might have happened. You never …NEVER…forget to protect the babies."

"Agreed" Jack retrieved it and hung it carefully, rubbing at his mouth with the back of his hand as he felt ill.

"Cariad?" Ianto asked softly, "You OK?"

"Feel a bit vomitty" Jack admitted, "I don't know if it's this or the baby but I don't get usually morning sickness this early. I think the unborn pup is responding to my upset."

"Come on, it's not good for the baby" Ianto rose and Ifan was already grabbing at Jack with wide eyes, looking down at his stomach with wonder.

"Yeah old man" Jack smiled softly, "Ready for another?"

Ifan looked at the muzzle on the wall and then at the committee as he hugged Jack tightly.

"We had all better be ready" Ifan finally said as Ianto got to them and retrieved his pregnant mate for a kiss, "We almost lost another baby, change the figures in the book. I want this unborn child counted. We need to recognise that another life was in danger. Christ. It's all changing, we gotta be ready."

Jack stiffened in Ianto's arms as he tightened his grip.

Things would never be the same.

But they would endure.


	24. Chapter 24

24

Jack followed Ianto to their room at the Big House where Ianto stood looking out the window at Holdfast as it surged with life below.

"Hey" Jack whispered, "Did you wear that to show some backbone, or for my big bone?"

Ianto swung and it took him a second to realise what bone Jack was referring to as he palmed himself and leered at Ianto suggestively.

"Really?" Ianto asked with surprise.

"Babe, it's been so long since you've worn your temptress clothes for me" Jack whined, "You know they do things to me. Always have."

"Then you better come get them off carefully, be a shame of I ripped a piece and couldn't wear it again." Ianto teased and he watched Jack's eyed widen as he shot across the room.

"How many layers have we here" Jack whispered, "Ahhhhh, how many pieces to this ensemble of delight?"

Ianto giggled as he leaned back and let Jack slide the jacket off, watching as Jack reverently placed it on the chair, then the vest was unbuttoned with shaking fingers, "Ooohhhh, here goes number two."

The vest found the jacket for company and then Jack looked into Ianto's eyes as the tie slid off, a soft hissing noise as Jack yanked licking his lips. "Three."

Ianto smiled and raised an eyebrow as Jack unbuttoned Ianto's trousers and let them fall, Ianto stepping out and lifting them with his foot as Jack could bend to hook them onto the chair. "Four Cariad?"

"Oh yeah, five is this bloody shirt" Jack uttered as he struggled with the cuffs, then he looked at the lean body trapped in a singlet and boxers, whimpering as he pulled the singlet up, trapping Ianto's arms behind his back and the first kiss was stolen.

"Six" Jack panted as the singlet fell and Jack rubbed against Ianto who leaned in to nuzzle his ear.

"Shame you're still dressed" he sighed and Jack barked as he stepped back and yanked his shirt off with one hand while the other struggled with his belt, the pants then pooling at his feet as the suspenders twanged.

"Oh Jack" Ianto sighed happily as he looked at that little bump and he reached out to stroke it as Jack panted happily. Then Ianto leaned in to nuzzle his throat again and the intoxicating smell was almost too much.

Jack moaned when Ianto grazed his skin with his incisors. His pulse pounded just beneath like a siren call. Ianto placed his mouth on him, tasted him on his tongue, sucked that sweet and salty skin.

"Oh Holdfast," Jack whispered, quivering. A bolt of desire shot through Ianto at his response. He let his hand travel down to cup that lovely dick, he played with the foreskin, rolling it between his thumb and fingers, pulling and teasing.

Jack whimpered and squirmed, clutching at him.

Now.

Ianto let his fangs extend and sank them into his soft flesh. Jack cried out, stiffened for a moment, and then melted against him.

Ianto kissed Jack's mouth passionately then slid back to his neck, and then lowered his mouth to him and captured a nipple between his lips.

Ianto tugged with his teeth and caressed with his rough, wet tongue. Jack twisted shamelessly at the sensation he created, and then moaned as his hand slipped between his thighs. One long finger dipped inside his arse, and then pumped until he thought he would burst into flames.

"Fuck me… please!" he screamed unable to take much more.

Whimpering, Jack parted his thighs, eager for his touch. Ianto positioned himself between his thighs, thrust slightly then paused, and pushed a little more before he paused again. The bump caressed Jack's dick between them.

"Holdfast," Jack whimpered and rolled his hips forward, trying to draw him closer.

"You want something?" Ianto asked as he brought his mouth down until his lips hovered over Jack's.

Jack shivered. "Uh-huh."

"I want to hear you say it," he commanded, his breath fanning Jacks hair off his forehead.

"Your cock…I want your cock inside of me."

"How do you want it…fast or slow?" he asked with another teasing thrust.

"Hard," Jack panted. "…and fast."

"I prefer deep." He plunged inside until he was completely buried, causing Jack to moan with pleasure, and then Ianto's hands were at his hips, lifting him, guiding his strokes. Jack closed his eyes as his head rolled to the side. Nothing had ever felt so good.

"Is this everything you desired?" Ianto asked as his hips drove into him, forcing his walls to spread wider.

"Yes! Ianto, yes!" Every hard thrust sent spasms rippling through him.

"You're so fucking tight," Ianto groaned. A climax was rapidly building as he pumped faster, slamming hard into Jack again and again.

In and out.

Over and over until Jack heard him say, "Jack … look at me."

Dazed, he opened his eyes to find Ianto gazing down at him with loving eyes, filling Jack's heart as much as his body.

"Yes, make me come, damn you!" The tension at Jack's core was so tight it hurt.

And then that fabulous feeling filled his body, like he was floating. Way better than any orgasm he had ever had with another lover.

Every nerve in Jack's body tingled; every muscle throbbed, every inch of his skin felt caressed by magic.

Teeth pierced his skin again, and Ianto's cock moved inside him, and finally he was so close, so close.

Ianto gazed into his eyes and something strange, weird, and wonderful happened. It was the like the other half of him that he hadn't known was missing, was in front of him and inside him, loving him, and making him complete.

Strong.

Invincible.

The pulse of his release throbbed in time to an equally pleasurable throb in his neck, where his lips sucked and held. Jack wanted to scream, cry, laugh, but no sound was possible.

Finally, finally, he sank his own teeth into Ianto's neck and bit him back, the explosion in the back of his head making him see colours as the blood hit the back of his throat.

Ianto and Jack convulsed as they came then they collapsed onto the mattress, and gasped for breath.

"What the hell was that?" Jack opened his eyes again at the sound of something being unwrapped. "A little too late for a condom, isn't it?"

Ianto grinned. "Just a bandage for your love bite."

And he stuck a regular, ordinary band-aid on his neck.

"I guess we're well and truly bonded now." Ianto laughed softly, "Looks like that pup in your belly has a blood lust like the other two."

Jack blinked with surprise and then considered the idea that the pup was hungry for iron just as Ianto had been forced to eat raw meat during his own pregnancies.

Jack shrugged.

Whatever.

If Ianto tasted like that, who was he to complain about the delivery of the goodness?


	25. Chapter 25

25

"Awww, he Lurrrrrrrrves you so much" Owen was crowing as he danced around Jack, "That he Biiiiiiit you!"

"Owen, I'm gonna bite you in a minute" Jack snarled as Ianto walked over with plates, placing one down for Jack along with one for himself. The children were all sitting on the floor around a low table with their own breakfast as they prepared for their morning school lessons in the school house, the afternoon to be outside doing prepper stuff.

Owen grinned and went to say something to Ianto, stalling as he stared at the matching bruise on his neck as well.

"So. You eat each other in your spare time?" he asked sarcastically, "Like… are you full on vampire? So I need to start locking the door at night? You know I'm only a little guy so you should start with Rhys if you feel like takeaway one night."

Ianto stopped with his spoon half way to his mouth, looking at Owen with confusion as Jack started to snigger, and then Jack roared with laughter.

"Excuse me?"

"You both have love bites!" Owen snorted, "After all this time you are still like teenagers."

Ianto grinned, then it faded as he looked at Jack, "You haven't healed."

"No, I think my metabolism is slower because of the baby" Jack surmised, "It is healing but slower than usual. Maybe it's my body's way of protecting the baby. I wasn't…this me with my last one. Who can say how my body will react."

"At least the birth will be easy" Owen said as he picked up his cup, "A quick C-section and reset for you."

"No milk" Ianto said with a frown, "If you reset there is no milk."

"No worries" Alice said as she took a seat next to Ianto and looked at Owen with a grin, "Right Doc?"

"Ah" Owen grinned back and Ianto was out of his chair, whopping with joy as he caught a whiff of her. As she usually sat down the other end he hadn't scented her all month.

"What?" Jack asked as he watched Ianto rejoice, then his brain caught up with what might pleased him so, "Darling? You are cooking one too?"

"Yeah Dad" she laughed as she watched Ianto throw his arms back and howl, "About four weeks gone."

"Oh Alice" Jack sniffed, hormonal tears threatening as he watched her preen, rubbing her stomach happily; "You and I will have play dates!"

"Until Alice has milk in, there is a whole community of lactating women" Martha assured them, "There will be plenty of milk. We need you Jack, fighting fit. We need you and Ianto. Anyone want to dispute that?"

The room fell quiet and Martha looked around looking for confrontation, almost disappointed when no one challenged her, "Right. Sorted. No need for you to suffer Jack. You and Ianto have enough"

"Thank you darling" Jack smiled and the watched Ianto take a mouthful of porridge, then screw his nose up. "Babe?"

"I don't believe it!" Ianto sighed, "You are pregnant, not me! You and your bloody pheromones. Looks like your hormones affect me too!"

"Oh no, you hated porridge when you were preggers" Jack said with glee, "Does this mean meat attack too?"

Ianto huffed as he glared at Jack and Jack roared with mirth as he saw them both with a lot of meat in their future. "Well, that is what I call a true bonding"

"Yeah well, remember that when we are in bed and the wee wind is flying, or have you forgotten my rotten meat farts" Ianto sighed as Hope made a noise of disgust. Seems she remembers all too well the smells her baby brother made while cooking in her Taddy's belly.

Frank toddled over with something in his hand and offered it to Dean who made a noise of amusement as he accepted it, "Thanks Deano. Wow. A shoe."

Ianto looked at it and frowned as he tried to match it up to any of the villagers and a chill slid down his back as he realised it was foreign.

"Frankie, can you take me and Uncle Mickey to where you got that please Hon?" he asked and Frank nodded, pointing to himself and then at the door, "Yes we will come with you in a second, OK?"

Frank held up his hand with a claw tapping his thumb and Ianto realised he was saying OK.

"Good man" Ianto smiled and Jack sighed as he realised they were going somewhere he wasn't invited.

Ianto patted his leg under the table to soothe, knowing Jack was put out and he leaned in close as he whispered, "Not our shoe Cariad."

Now Jack's pout was replaced with a look of interest as he nodded and knew Tosh was his next stop.

Gotta put a button camera on that frickin' weevil.


	26. Chapter 26

26

Ianto moved through the tunnels with Frank holding his hand, excited to be doing some security work.

The fact that Mama had dressed him in his black clothes and the stun gun she had attached to his harness had been spray painted black was so cool that he kept tapping it with a claw to make sure it was still secure.

Something people hadn't realised but Ianto had, was the fact that weevils progress at a different rate to humans. Even though he was the size of the two and a half to three year olds, his mind was more developed. Their quiet times together had let Ianto know that this little guy was roughly ten or eleven years old in his head and far more capable of understanding thing.

"Come on darling, much further?" Ianto asked softly and Frank raised his hand, then waved it down to show they were close then he stopped and pointed.

Ianto moved forward, Mickey flanking him as Boomer pulled the little Weevil back by him with a protective arm, "good boy."

Ianto crouched at the rockslide and poked at the socked foot with distain, the scent of death in the air making his hair stand on edge and his eyes flashed with an animalistic rage as he saw how close this second team had come.

"How did they get this far" Ianto sighed, "Shit. We need every tunnel entrance covered with motion detectors, heat sensors, cameras. Fucking landmines!"

"We don't have them" Mickey snorted, "Fuck we haven't much of anything since the water wiped out the bloody underground resources."

"Yeah" Ianto sighed as he reached for the little weevil and kissed his face, "What we need is a bloody recon to end all recons."

"Jack's gonna have a cow" Mickey replied and the coms crackled.

"Cariad, this is supposed to be localised only!" Ianto scolded, "Are you tapping in?"

"I wanted to make sure you are OK" came back a sulky reply.

"Well, I am. I am cold, wet and muddy though. Might need a good soak in the bath. The bloody hot pools will take a few more weeks to recover from the muck we have to bucket out."

"The big bath?" the whine was so pathetic Mickey had to slap his hand over his mouth to hold back a giggle.

"What was that!" Jack asked with sudden fear.

"Just a rock from the pile Cariad" Ianto soothed as he glared at the black man.

"The real problem isn't that anyway" Ianto said as he turned to look at Boomer who blinked and then slumped.

"Ebony!"

"I did promise her" Ianto shrugged, "I know the baby is still so new but do you think we can stop her once word gets out?"

"So, is there a rule about both going from a family?"Boomer asked and Mickey laughed.

"Mate, have you met my wife?" Mickey spluttered with glee, "We both go because we don't trust to other to keep their head down."

"Right" Boomer said happily, turning back to their leader, "What next then."

"We search for tech… clothing…anything on our Go List" Ianto said as they started to walk back up the tunnels, "I was thinking we head for the Shopping Centre. It will take us about four hours to get there…we spend the night, the next day gathering vehicles to fill, sort what we need. Head home."

"I was thinking we spend two nights" Mickey said softly, "Spend the entire day scavenging. The next morning too if need be. The way I see it, the more we do now, the less we have to do again. One big push, one mad hunt and then we have months before another."

"Yeah, but two nights away" Ianto said softly, "I hate so long away from him."

"Aw, ya soppy git" Boomer snorted, "Of course you will miss him. Two nights away from the baby will half kill that woman of mine but I agree with the mouse. If we can fill a couple of trucks, it will ease the pain for quite some time. Shit, I wouldn't mind three if we can."

"We would need Rhys" Ianto surmised, "You three on driving duty, me back with Art in Rolling Thunder."

"Sounds good, but it means we would be tightly packed to go, how many can we fit in the Thunder?" Mickey asked.

"Eight to ten" Ianto replied, "A small group."

"Agreed" Jack said through the coms and Ianto rolled his eyes at a grinning Mickey.

"Sir?"

"Let's get the meeting sorted, the list sorted and if you have to go, go now" Jack said with force, "I want you back, I want you all safe."

"Agreed"


	27. Chapter 27

27

As expected, there was some complaining and more than one giving reasons to hold off but the majority vote gave them authority to move forward.

Ebony was over the moon expressing milk like a lunatic while talking animatedly about the things she wanted, to the extend where Ianto turned her out and made little grunting noises now and then while writing his own list to add to Tosh's.

The kids got wind of it and started their own lists, arriving silently on the meeting table with excited faces and hopeful smiles. Crayon pictures of what they wanted in case the adults couldn't read too good and even a couple of empty wrappers that must have been hoarded for quite some time.

"Shit, they are hopeful" Rhys laughed, "Candy will be past use by."

"Some might be OK if it's sealed" Ianto answered absently picking through some particularly vibrant ones. "Not sure about the pink pony though."

"Shit" Vic snorted, "Or this…little kitchen?"

"Aw, that's cute. They cut it out of a book" Ianto giggled as he looked at the picture of a child's play kitchen, grinning softly as how carefully it had been pasted into the middle of the page then arrows were drawn pointing into it.

"Cornwall Shopping Centre" Ianto said softly, "they have a kid's store. Maybe…we will have to see."

"God, they are excited" Jack agreed as he sorted four of the same picture into a pile, "Really excited for more crayons. Wonder why."

They all laughed as Ianto reached out to squeeze his hand, knowing Jack was stressing about the separation. He knew they would need a night together before they left, just to connect and confirm their bond.

They walked the tunnel in silence, the children left behind at school with wee Dean drawing a rainbow with Frank.

They got to FB and headed upstairs, still holding hands as Ianto let Jack take the lead.

They held each other a moment longer before Ianto gently pulled back. They made brief eye contact before leaning in for a deep kiss. Jack held Ianto so tightly.

They kissed deeply, and now Jack felt that sense of urgency now he had Ianto somewhere alone. Ianto must have felt the same way because he quickly broke the kiss and stood up, pulling Jack up with him.

"Bed" he whispered and Jack pouted.

"Stop worrying," he said, cradling Jack's, and whispering in his ear. "You are supposed to be thinking of me, and how incredibly turned on you are."

Jack tilted his head back, and looked in his eyes. "I'm thinking how lucky I am to have a man like you."

Jack lowered his head and kissed his lips.

Ianto tightened his inner walls around his cock, making him gasp. "Who is lucky?"

"I am," he said, kissing him with a soft huff of laughter. "I tell myself that every waking moment."

"Of course you do," Ianto said.

"I really do." He cupped Ianto's chest in his right hand, and ran his thumb over a hardened nipple. "I'm thankful you are my mate, and I always will be. We will be strong together, forever."

"I know." Ianto lifted his head off the pillow and kissed him, his tongue teasing him. Jack met her with his own tongue, and they tempted and teased each other, his thrusts becoming faster, harder, as his arousal increased.

When Jack pulled away, needing air, Ianto immediately lowered his head and sucked on a nipple, making him take a sharp breath as he grazed his teeth across the taut bud. He knew what he liked, and he knew how to please him, and that would never change.

Jack slipped his hand under the small of Ianto's back and held him in place, while he pulled out and then thrust back in harder, impaling him completely on his cock.

Ianto shifted, lifting his knees, arching his back, and urging Jack on with his hands and his mouth.

Kisses, touches, stroking and caressing, licking and sucking, all combined until they exploded as one, Jack pumping his seed deep inside him, while his arse muscles gripped him, pulsing and throbbing as he milked him of his essence.

Not that he needed his seed; Jack already had his child planted in his womb and Ianto knew his own body would hold back, sensing the need to protect and nurture.

No, Ianto would not have a pup this year, this honour was for Jack.

So small, it could only be seen on an ultrasound, but big enough that they had heard its heartbeat, a sound that made their child real, a part of them.

Ianto's heart sang as he stroked Jack's belly and soothed them both to sleep, knowing he was right.

Go soon, get it done and make sure he didn't have to leave him again until their new child was safely in his arms.

They were rolling within two days.

Whether others were ready or not.


	28. Chapter 28

28

Logan, Morris, Ebony, Rhys, Sean, Mickey and Martha.

They stood with their arms folded as they all argued that they would be best to drive a truck back and Ianto swung in the chair while he watched them argue amongst themselves.

"Art will drive Rolling Thunder so I can run if I need to" he finally said and they all fell silent as they turned to listen, "Rhys is best on the large vehicle transporter I want, we need more vehicles both below and up top. A car carrier is the best idea and Rhys can operate the lift mechanisms."

Rhys nodded as he sat and started doing calculations for what they might need.

"Mickey and Martha are best double teaming so I would like them to find a large double decker bus we can fill with shit, the top level penned off for some animals…possibly sheep if we can. Ours need new blood." Ianto said softly, "Martha can help clear as any Zs will hone in on the animals."

Mickey and Martha turned to start going over basics.

Sean, Morris and Billy" Ianto then said and Billy's head shot up with surprise, "We need two large refrigerated trucks. Like the big frozen food ones so we can lower them to SH for our winter meats. Billy will be security while you two piss about as I know there will be extra checks to make sure the refrigeration units work."

Billy shone with delight at his Tad as Marley raised an eyebrow and Ianto nodded silently to show she was coming with him.

Ebony sat and waited to see her job, Boomer already off getting some supplies and tools needed for the trip.

"Bon. You will be in whatever you want, get whatever you want. Go crazy" Ianto said fondly, "Just remember we need something for the kids over winter."

Her face was full of excitement as she was given the green card to go insane and Ianto knew it would be like a treasure trove of crap.

Finally he turned to Stephen and smiled, "You need to get ready too. You are security for Rolling Thunder."

"No! Really?" Stephen asked gleefully.

"Wait, how many to move out?" Jack asked "Ten? What, eleven?"

"Babe" Ianto said softly, "Logan, Morris, Ebony, Boomer, Rhys, Sean, Mickey and Martha, Art, Billy, Stephen, Billy and Marley. Thirteen but Marley and I will travel outside most of the time. I am thinking the two boys might be best on motorbikes, pushing ahead to scout in case we have to use alternate routes. Some roads might be impassable. This means nine in the vehicle plus two bikes to go."

"Agreed" Jack said and Ifan leaned over to pass his list.

Ianto checked it and looked over to Logan and passed it to him so he could add it to the medical supplies Owen had handed over. Ianto knew Owen wanted to come but was needed with Fay's late life pregnancy being high risk. She was not on bed rest yet but getting close.

Ianto had spent some time with Vic letting him know it was OK to sit this one out, besides they needed the security while he was gone as Jack was benched. The list kept growing and as Billy entered to sit Ianto had a fair idea what he wanted to talk about.

"He is too young to take a bike of his own" Ianto said without looking up from the current list he was memorising.

"It won't be the same without him" Billy huffed.

"Travis is 20 and never been on a run, what about Andrew? He's older as well" Ianto finally looked up, "Liam is only 15."

"But he's…." Billy huffed, "You're right. Travis has never gelled with us. He wanted to stay with his Da."

"Well, not everyone is designed to forage" Ianto shrugged, "it might be nice to encourage him into more group activities."

"So…no Liam" Billy huffed.

"No." Ianto replied, "Not this time. Besides, you have Marley to consider in all this. It's not a boy's expedition."

"Yeah" Billy nodded and rose to leave then turned back, "Dad is OK, right?"

"Yeah" Ianto smiled at his son, "Just pregnant. You remember when I was?"

"Yeah but that pout of his is so epic!" Billy rolled his eyes and left to tell Liam he had tried. He hadn't thought about Marley when he had gone in for Liam. The three boys together might have made her feel left out and it was going to make her uncomfortable as it was to show her clicker side to Stephen.

Then Billy snorted at himself, of course Taddy was right.

He was Taddy.


	29. Chapter 29

29

Ianto was checking over Rolling Thunder with Rhys, making sure they had supplies in case of some unforeseen emergency.

"The spare fuel will make this a three way trip" Rhys explained, "Enough to get there and back and there again, so there is plenty for running around or turning to go back or a different route. We might not be able to refuel or one of the trucks might be low in fuel. We have enough to get it rolling to a fuel source."

"Well done" Ianto smiled as he clapped Rhys on the back, "That is a brilliant idea. I see we have several heavy duty batteries as well, we have to expect some of the trucks will need swapping out. Other stuff?"

"Spark plugs, alternators for Macks and Kenworths, I have tried to have enough shit for at least two entire trucks, anything else we either scavenge or we abandon." Rhys pointed at the trailer on the back, "Also, I've added a few tyres, other bits and bobs we might need. Strops in case we need to secure a load and all those empty bins. This means we can fill as we go, not look for something to put our goodies in at the other end We can then get more at the mall but I do take it we will scavenge as we go? Not just the mall if we are gathering livestock as well."

"Agreed" Ianto nodded, "Some homesteads to raid, you bloodthirsty savage."

Rhys laughed then leaned in close, "And the mall has a baby store, right? The stuff still wrapped up in plastic might sill be OK?"

"Hey" Ianto placed his hands on Rhys' shoulders, "I'm counting on that too big guy."

Rhys pulled him into a hug and then walked over to the table, "Vic has longer legs than me and he has to remember to reset the mirrors for the RT."

"I'll remind him before we roll" Ianto assured him, "Let's go cuddle our significant pregger ones."

Rhys glowed with delight as he gushed about the baby's nursery he was already seeing in his head and Ianto smiled as he thanked the gods for giving them another chance at happiness with a new life.

He found Jack in the coms room with Tosh going over the route and possible alternatives, both of them showing their concern as a drone skimmed over some wasteland that used to be highway.

"What's the range on that?" Ianto asked as he settled into a chair.

"Not far enough" Tosh huffed, "But with RT acting as a portable base, we can extend the coverage from this end and keep you covered as you go."

"RT can be a portable hub?" Ianto asked, "Like the SUV was?"

"Don't see why not" she shrugged, "We can have up to three drones active to watch from the air, scout ahead and make sure the boys are OK on the bikes."

"Cariad" Ianto said softly as he watched Jack picking at the maps, "It will be OK. Me and Marley will be watchful."

"I know I'm being a baby" Jack sighed, "It's just the first one I'm sitting out and it freaks me out."

"I promise we will be careful" Ianto promised, "I will do whatever is required to get us all home, triumphant."

"Do you think it was a good idea giving that mad woman a free rein?" Jack asked and Ianto snorted.

"Ebony was going to be mental no matter what I said, this way the others won't look at her as weird if she comes out of a shop with ten hardhats on her head or something." Ianto shrugged and Jack laughed softly.

"We're going first thing, up with the sparrow's fart" Vic said as he leaned on the doorframe, "Final checks and balances are happening now, no turning back."

"No turning back" Ianto nodded.

"I think you need to go tonight" Jack finally said with a soft wince, "Sneak out before everyone realises. The last thing you need is a farewell parade."

"Shit" Ianto nodded, "Travel in the dark?"

"If there are others out there, you would be safer in the dark, at least part of the way. Keep us hidden. Stop about twenty miles away then move in the light so they can't work out where we came from" Vic agreed.

"We never used to do that" Ianto frowned, "But you're right. More people are coming this way, we have to start being more furtive."

"OK" Vic pushed off the doorframe, "I'll round them up and we slip out under the full moon."

Ianto rose and pulled Jack into a hug knowing the real reason for the quick exit.

"One less night away?" he whispered and Jack sighed.

"I love you" Ianto said softly as he kissed his love, letting his hands move to the wee bulge.

"Just hurry back home" Jack begged and Ianto nodded.

"Always Cariad."


	30. Chapter 30

30

Art was driving Rolling Thunder with the mirrors adjusted to suit his longer body, humming softly to the Johnny Cash CD as they crawled quietly past the houses. The boys pushed the motorbikes so there was as little noise as possible and Ianto hated sneaking out like that but saw Jack's point. This was not something the kids should see as heroic or cool. They should not want to go on these things, rather realise this was something they had to do.

Once they were beyond the dome the boys kicked the bikes over and took off, the large black wolf running between them keeping up easily as Marley chose to move ahead.

They travelled for about two hours and then RT pulled to a stop. They settled for a few hours to go over things as Ianto and Marley did a circuit of the area, now comfortable that there were no other creatures, friend or foe out in the dark.

Apart from some deer, the place was secure and they ate breakfast as they went over their assigned jobs, Ebony's list was a bloody book and Ianto grinned as he knew she would likely not refer to it and get other stuff anyway.

Gods, but she was a kindred spirit.

As if hearing him she looked over and grinned, the green light of the RT making them all look like commandos about to so some rescue mission in enemy territory.

I guess it wasn't far from the truth.

"We are getting ready to move Cariad" Ianto said softly as the first light appeared on the horizon, "Me and Marls will scout ahead until its light enough for the drones."

"Be safe" Jack's voce seems a million miles away an Ianto ached to hold him.

They rolled forward and travelled for another couple of hours, the stark wasteland that used to be highway more sobering in the light of day.

"I had no idea it had got this bad" Vic said softly as he took in the wild grass and trees spouting through the side verges.

They passed overgrown vehicles, houses and signs that had been reclaimed by nature and it was strangely comforting to know that some things were thriving as deer, cattle and horses were seen roaming freely in the distance.

They stopped on the outskirts of the town and sent in the drones, followed by Marley who found some Zs but not much else. They entered and slowly moved through the streets looking at signs of fire, pillaging and loss. It was clearly abandoned and the drones clicked to heat signature mode, not finding anything of worth.

"Car Carrier!" Rhys said suddenly and they stopped, letting Marley give a clear signal then Ianto got out and scented the air, then gave a thumbs up.

The boys were already climbing on it, looking at the brand new SUVs on the top tier with excitement. "Think they go?"

"We can find out" Rhys replied and Ianto called out for one to stay and one to continue.

"I'll stay with Uncle" Stephen indicated and Billy leapt down to continue into the township and the Mall that seemed to beckon to them.

Billy ditched the bike and went on foot with his Tad, Marley and Logan as they approached the pharmacy. As expected, it had been looted but Logan went to the large door that had a key code and was relieved to find it intact, keying in a code he remembered from another life that was a nationwide emergency activation code for these doors and to his relief it opened the door.

"Right, I'm good with one on watch" he said as he started to check boxes and Ianto turned to the two teens with raised eyebrows.

"I'll stay" Marley said softly, "It's safer for me if we are ambushed. You need to go with the others and get those refrigerated trucks. Once we are able to sweep the mall we want to get in and lock down."

"So I should stay here!" Billy argued.

"Enough, she's right" Ianto said calmly, "When it's time to sweep the mall she can swap with you, OK?"

Billy nodded and followed his Tad as she huffed softly.

"A lot of love there" Logan said as he dropped more boxes into a large bin.

"Yeah" she smiled, "Don't forget pregnancy tests and antenatal vitamins. If this is gonna last us a long while I might be able to…well. It I don't have to swarm Taddy says I can try for a baby."

"Really?" Logan looked at her with interest, "you know, you are a lovely couple and another baby would be good. Try to keep the grouping together. If you fall in the next month or so it will be close enough to Alice's to be good friends."

"That's what I'm thinking" she grinned, "I look at the 3Ms and hope my child had that level of friendship."

"No reason not to" Logan went back to picking, "you know…they will be handsome babies and that Tad of yours might pinch them like he does the 3Ms."

She started to laugh as she nodded her agreement.

She hoped for that too.

.

.

.

.

TracyLynn asked me a question- I have never been a fan of the zombie genre - not because I don't like it but because I never really tried it. I don't watch walking dead, haven't seen any of the zombie movies, etc. But, I really love this and the idea of trying to live after something like this. But, I have a question due to my lack of understanding. Is it feasible to think that at some point that this world might be Zombie free ? Is that a possibility for this verse or not really ?

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

This is a good question thanks for asking as I know other people wonder too. It's like a sickness, it is not going to go away as long as there are still carriers. As long as there are people still human, there is still the potential of infection. There remains the disease.

This is also true about this fake world. If we can accept that this little village exists, we must accept others do as well. Others survived, still struggle. Then it becomes acceptable to see that there will still be failure, as people still live, Zs still feed. People still turn.

As long as there are people struggling to survive, there are potential Zs.

As in a recent chap, the Zs were rotting and gross. These were old Zs who were at the end as they were not eating flesh to sustain them. Those still in cities and such should theoretically still be in good 'health' as they find subjects to chew on and either eat entirely or turn to join their lot.

This is something I do wonder about.

Would they also eat cattle? Horses? Dogs? What level of flesh would they see as edible? I think people will always fight to survive, pockets of small resistance scattered about and their rate of survival would plummet once Zs discover them.


	31. Chapter 31

31

Mickey and Martha were standing in front of the Double Decker bus with matching looks of glee, "After you madam."

Third bus, first with all tyres intact and not torched. Can't be this easy, right? Martha unclipped the safety on her hand gun and swept as Mickey admired her arse. Good looking woman this bird of his.

"Clear" she called down as he climbed up, heading for the engine and he pulled back the floor to reach down with one hand as the other reached for the key in the ignition.

"Shit" he huffed as nothing happened.

"Battery?" Martha asked, then stepped back as he got to his feet.

"Yeah good looking," he said as he headed for the back of the bus and the battery they'd left on the sidewalk, "Find the thing to lock the doors so we can get secure."

Martha slid into the driver's seat and looked at the array, guessing the lever did the job and she watched her husband wrestle the battery into place then he looked up at her.

"Things are never that easy" she sighed as she reached for the key, "We need to change out the sparkplugs at least and…"

The bus roared to life and Mickey hooted as he slapped at her, her tongue proving long as she showed it to him and he laughed as they moved forward.

They looked around for any sign of Zs or people, who were a much less savory prospect and they were relieved when empty streets beckoned. Finally Mickey eased it around some abandoned vehicles and headed for the Mall, Martha up top scanning like a female terminator.

Fuck she was gorgeous!

The AK proped against her hip and the black cargo pants making those hips look fuckable as her thin waist scooped up to delectable assets that Mickey reluctantly shared with their spawn. Her dreads were tied back and her cheekbones looked like a lethal weapon on their own as the sun bounced off her skin.

Mickey grinned like a loon, tooting as he neared the vehicle transporter that was getting the lower level unloaded, Rhys waving happily as another vehicle was pushed off by Stephen.

"Anyone else here yet?" he called out to Rhys who shrugged to show he didn't know and didn't really care. "It go?"

"Fuck off" Rhys replied and Mickey laughed as he flipped him the bird and eased the bus in beside the truck.

"Oi fat boy" he called out and Rhys turned to look his way, "Are we gonna fit all the vehicles into the forecourt of this place?"

"Yeah" he jogged over, "Apparently there is a huge loading bay for the refrigerated ones, these two are too high so we are going to drive them straight into the forecourt of the mall. If we have the doors open and use the bus to smash into the top half, we can shut the doors after and still be secure, even with the second level of glass gone."

"How many levels does this place have?" Mickey looked up at the building with interest "Three?"

"Basement level with a firing range, so four" Rhys answered, "Hopefully it wasn't too badly looted and we can find some goodies."

"How are the others doing?" Rhys called up to the warrior woman still standing g up top and she leaned over the edge to grin down at him.

"Apparently they have found the refrigerated trucks in a business yard but are trying to decide which ones to take. Some are still partly filled and…putrid."

"EEWWWWW" Rhys did the Dance of Grossness as Mickey laughed and Martha shook her head as she looked about the top deck again, knowing they should start stripping out the seats.

Mickey and Rhys agreed, starting to do just that as Stephen stood watch on the top of the vehicle transporter.

For a first day of recon they were doing well and if Stephen remembered one thing his adults had taught him it was never to trust a lull.

By the time the two refrigerated trucks lumbered towards them they were ready to settle down and eat, exhausted and hungry.

They waved as they drew close and Stephen smiled as Marley arrived in a heaving mass, Logan in a little dune buggy that he drove straight up onto the lower level of the transporter.

"Great!" Stephen called down, "The 3Ms are gonna love you!"

"We just need to make sure there are three seats in this place that fit the back!" Logan called back and they laughed.

"Better make that three toddler and another one or two boosters for the boot" Rhys amended, "Ifan and Hope will fight for the jump seat as it's not a bench seat anymore and we all know it means Ifan will have to sit in back."

More laughter as they all agreed.

That was one mare you didn't argue with.

She had her Taddy's look about her.

Terrifying when riled.


	32. Chapter 32

32

Sean, Morris and Billy had found the transport company, heading around the back to find the truck graveyard that seemed to stretch for miles.

A pair of bolt cutters later and they were in the yard, no sign of danger but the sight of the skeleton that was once a dog upset Billy, knowing the poor beast had starved to death locked in the yard. Although it had been years, it still hurt that this happened once upon another life.

"Right, let's go" Sean said as he strode towards the refrigerated trucks.

The first few were opened to the stench of rotting meat, Morris throwing up after one was found to have meat still hanging in it, mostly decomposed and disgusting.

Then they found a good one but it wouldn't start.

Then one with no tyres. Not flat…just…none. Weird.

Four more misses before a hit. This one not only happy to accept a battery but when going they felt the cool breeze immediately from the unit.

Another miss.

Another that went but no working unit.

Then one that needed a complete refit or plugs, alternator, starter, battery fuel pump…for fucksake the refrigerator unit seemed mint so Rhys persevered and was so cold it was brilliant. Morris was at the point of saying they would get a hiab and pull the fucking thing when it suddenly turned over and fired.

Happy dance as Billy laughed at them and motioned for them to hurry up.

They headed for the mall and looked at the Transporter and looked at the little Bug 2 with delight, knowing the children would be stoked.

"Ya know…." Rhys said as they stood looking about "You see that building over there?"

"What is it?" Stephen asked.

"Farming and Industrial showroom" he grinned as the others turned to listen with interest, "I remember dropping off a tractor, industrial hopper and a shit load of stuff the year before it all went to shit. I guess they have that sort of thing still there, the seeds alone might be worth pinching."

"Rhys, you are a legend amongst men" Ianto's growl startled them and they turned to grin at the large Wolfling. 

"Tad and I did a sweep, everything looks fine in there, we found a couple of Zs in the staff area where it looks like some guards had locked themselves in, that's it. It was kept under lock and key so there doesn't look like anything got reconned!" Marley said excitedly, "Come on."

Ebony had exited Rolling Thunder and was already in a sewing and craft store with Boomer, coming out when they heard the air horn of the Transporter, waving excitedly.

"You need to see the craft gear in there" she gushed, "I want the whole shop!"

"Dear god" Martha rolled her eyes, "And they call me mad. Let's get in this bloody mall"

They opened the doors and motioned the transporter in first, smashing the glass and letting the Double Decker in behind it before they closed the doors somewhat awkwardly.

"Right, we are secure and down this way is a furniture shop so we have beds tonight" Marley pointed, "When Tad and I swept the area we also saw a clothing store that way. PJs for everyone please. Don't scare me in the night."

Some soft laughter as they felt the euphoria of achieving their first goal.

Ianto was more tired than he was willing to let on and he headed straight for the furniture shop.

"Tad, what about food?" Billy called out and Ianto just waved back.

"He's tired Bills" Marley said softly, "He's not stopped since we left, remember he has been on his feet all day."

"Shit" Billy sighed, "I'll take him a plate and check on him."

"I'll get the PJs for him, he's just sitting there staring into space" she said with a sigh, "You know he's missing Dad."

"So much love" Billy smiled, "Imagine if we were separated. I think I would die if I lost you."

"Sap" she said, but her delight was obvious as she leaned in and kissed him.

Billy took a plate in and found his Tad laying on his side talking on the sat phone to Jack, his smile one of complete relief as Jack laughed and told him about Frank trying to find them and getting into a temper tantrum as he had wanted to lend them his stun gun.

"Poor wee guy" Ianto sighed, "Tell him I am bringing him back something special for being a brave boy and looking after the others for me."

"He's right here with Dean," Jack said and Ianto smiled as snuffling was heard.

"Frank? You keeping them safe of me love?" he crooned, "I love my weevilly nephew, yes I do."

A soft huff and sniffle then a soft bark.

"I know Frank, I know" Ianto soothed, "Remember you have to protect Bella and Dean for me. When I get back we can talk about it, OK?"

"He looks happier" Jack said as he came back on, "He went over and hugged Dean."

"I love you" Ianto said, "I will see you in a couple of days."

"Hurry" Jack said softly, "I can't sleep."

"Hope will help, I know it's hard but I will hurry love" Ianto sighed, "I can't sleep either. Seems weird."

"Don't forget to bring back something special for Frank, he is being brave" Jack whispered, "All of them are but he seems most upset of all of them."

"I know" Ianto sighed.

"Goodnight Holdfast."

"Goodnight Cariad."


	33. Chapter 33

33

Ebony sat and stared at the building across the way that as visible from the second level. She had been on guard duty for three hours and was getting antsy when she heard movement and turned to find Ianto standing behind her with his hair messed up and a look of morose indecision.

"Hey" she said softly, "Can't sleep love?"

"I should have bought a pillow from our bed or at least a piece of his clothing" Ianto yawned as he stepped over to stand beside her and stare out at the moonlit city, "Can't scent him, can't sleep."

"Awww, poor baby" she crooned and he smiled softly, then canted his head.

"Are those…."

"Solar panels, yeah" she answered quickly, "I'm trying to work out if it's a business or not, I think it may be a school. They are only partly installed, the framework suggests the entire roof should be covered but less than half was done. Do you think there are panels sitting in boxes waiting for the sunlight still?"

"Christ, it would be a boon if there were" Ianto agreed, "Fall Back doesn't have the same grid power like HF from Stronghold. The wind turbines help as does the few building close enough to be connected to SH, but…Christ. They would be brilliant for the main house, police station and even one or two for the winter barn so the stock can be tended to in good lighting. we lost a few calves this winter gone because the cows laboured quietly and there was no way of seeing they were in difficulty. That could ensure a security system, CCTV in those areas."

"Security" she said softly.

"I'll go look" Marley startled them both, "I can't sleep either. To damned quiet here, no animals. Didn't realise how used I am to night life. I'll go scout, anything else Tad?"

"If it is a school it may have a subbasement, if so check if there are supplies down there. Boxes of exercise books and whatnot."

"OK" she smiled and then seemed to evaporate as she disintegrated and slid into the dark.

"Such a nice kid" Ebony said softly, "You know…that kitchen and dining store? Can I have that?"

"What…all of it? Someone smashed a lot of the stuff" Ianto sighed, "Looks like when the shit hit the fan those shopping stampeded."

"Oh, yes. The broken bits for my collage" she smiled, "But there is some lovely glass hiding in the back room. Shipment not put out yet"

"Ah, trust you to sniff it out" he laughed softly "You and glass Bonny."

"I see Rhys has stripped the Baby and Me, moved onto the toy store already. He is going to fill a whole bloody truck!" her pout was epic and he resisted the urge to laugh.

"You know that vehicle transporter out there?" he said softly, "We are filling that with vehicles. A lot of boots and back seats Bon."

Her eyes lit up as She realized there was more space to stash shit she hadn't considered and she made a small noise as she leaned over to peer down at it with renewed interest.

"The scented candles are nice too" Ianto agreed, "The furniture shop has some wee cribs too, mattresses still wrapped in plastic and I am definitely taking home some of those Egyptian cotton sheets still in the packaging."

He watched her eyes widen and then growl softly at him as she called him a bloody tease. He laughed and was about to tell her he would take the rest of her shift if she wanted to go forage but then he felt Marley calling and he spun to watch her return, sliding in the open window and solidifying with speed.

"People" she said excitedly, "A family in the lower level. You were right about a sub basement. Four people but they are running low on supplies. I saw tinned food, bottled water. Like a shut in bunker style deal. I think one goes out and the others stay. The kids look weedy, pasty like they've never seen the sun."

"Did they see you?" Ebony asked and Marley shook her head.

"I watched with only a few eyes." She answered holding up four fingers, "I didn't want to startle them. There are Zs loose in the building and area around it, they obviously know they are there but can't get to them. Dead Zs where they have killed to scavenge. I would say their last recon was a couple of months ago from the state of the bodies and the fact no food is fresh."

"Right" Ianto said, "This is where you tell me there are two kids."

"Three" she corrected him, "One man and three kids. There are signs of a woman but…a shrine says she has fallen."

"Shit" Ianto robbed his face, "Good job little one, good job. Go get a basket and fill it with some food from the food court that is still good and add some of our fresh supplies from home. Tomorrow at first light I will try to approach them."

"They might be friendly" she said and he smiled.

"If they have survive this long, I doubt it." He shrugged, "Hell, I would be suspicious too. They are in the agreed size though. If they are agreeable we can take them with us. Good work sweetling, you may have just saved them. We would have rolled out and never known."

Marley accepted Ianto's hug eagerly, then shot off to tell Billy.

Their hopes of finding others fulfilled.

.

.

.

.

.

I know there have been questions as to why the place had not been pillaged by someone else, I considered the idea that Zs started off densely packed in the cities and then roamed off in snarls once their food supply dwindled. With this in mind, they sort of pushed looters back and then the mall was left with a few bitey watchdogs. By now ammo would be scant and those who wanted in are either gone or unable to breach the barrier.

This is now 7 years after Z day, unfortunately at this stage there are few pockets of humans left and what are left have probably given up on areas where they knew Zs were.

This is all hypothetical, I am really just guessing here.


	34. Chapter 34

34

Ianto finally snoozed as the others rampaged through the mall like heathens loose at the Christian picnic. Things were heaved over balconies to the mezzanine level below and people leaned out over railings to shout for someone to help lift something.

Ianto stirred and woke as he smelt something. He scented the air and canted his head as he sat and tried to work out what it was. Not bacon but…something was cooking. The smell was…Ianto moved quickly to the window of the store he was in and looked out over the city, watching the clouds rolling towards them with an open malice, then turned to call a warning.

"Storm rolling on, looks angry!" he yelled and everyone spun to look at the front of the mall and the smashed upper levels of glass.

"Fuck, gonna get wet in here" Rhys huffed, "Come on let's move the bus in front of the hole to lessen the impact and move the trucks towards the back, everything off the ground because we might flood!"

As people moved with haste Ianto scented the air again, still uneasy with the smell of something cooking when clearly nobody was. They he saw a distant flash.

"ELECTIRCAL!" he roared, "Everyone, away from the windows, we have lightening striking!"

The smell was burning flesh, Zs caught at ground level as the lightening stuck the ground and Ianto now had a new worry as he raced for the upper level sentry post and looked over at the solar panels. Ebony had the same idea and ran to stand with him, "They'll attract it won't they. Not finished probably not earthed properly, they are about to get lit up."

"Taddy?" Marley said as she watched him run back down, "Need something?"

"You can't go out in this love" he said lovingly, "Bugs fry in storms too. Me and Martha will take this with Mickey at our six."

As Ianto strode for the side door the couple fell into step, Mickey already pulling his beanie lower as they exited the building. The first drops of rain were splattering the sidewalk and the smell was calming to Ianto as they walked the distance to the building and slipped inside.

"There are the solar panels we need" Ianto said softly as he pointed to a dusty stack, then he pointed at the old land rover sitting nearby, "We can load that if it goes. Mouse?"

Mickey was already poring over it muttering, "needs gas, all I can see wrong, I'll double time back for a can or two."

"No need" Billy crackled through the coms, "I'm coming with Uncle Rhys. Mickey, you watch my Taddy."

They moved to where Marley had indicated and Ianto took a deep breath and then knocked on the barricaded door, "Excuse me? Hello?"

The sound of scuffling as someone came to the door.

"Sorry to disturb you, we are currently over at the mall doing some ransacking and pillaging" Ianto said calmly, "We've noticed a huge electrical storm bearing down and are a little bit worried. Are your panels earthed? If not then the lightening could light this entire place up. If you are not sure or know they are an incomplete installation and not earthed please consider evacuating this building. I understand if you don't want to come to us, a lot of bad people these days. Please, even if you head to another building, you must have fall back areas. This is a different storm, they have started to mutate and the electricity in this one is so strong, stronger than other years. Just please evacuate before…."

Martha squealed as the first strike hit nearby and there was the sound of an explosion.

"Fuck" Mickey huffed, "That sounded like something big."

"Ianto?" Martha said softly, "We are not safe here love. Let's fall back and if they want to come that's up to them. Please, this building is a death trap."

"Agreed" Ianto sighed, "We are leaving a basket of food by the door, don't worry about the Zs, we've swept internally and there are none still here inside now. Please, consider the kids."

"Come on fall back!" Mickey called out as the land drover roared to life, as did the small Toyota next to it.

"We leave the car running, let them have an escape. They might want to go away from us!" Ianto yelled as they all climbed into the vehicle, "Leave the headlights on so they see it's going now."

As they rolled out Ianto looked back to see a man running with a child tucked under his arm and two more following with backpacks, the boom of thunder making them duck, then recover. He slowed as they got to the car and he looked at Ianto with shock as the kids clambered in then one of them yelled something and he turned, clambering in as well an putting it into gear.

As they neared the mall the bus rolled back and they shot inside.

As they all fell from the land rover Ianto was relieved to see the small car had followed and as the bus covered the doors Ianto breathed a sigh of relief.

A bolt of lightning hit a lamppost outside and one of the kids screamed as it exploded.

"Hey, hey, it's OK now" Ianto crooned as he knelt to look the little boy in the face, "This building is earthed, it was built for storms. It won't get us in here love."

"Thank you" the man panted as he looked out the windows at the rain, now pummelling like a wild animal trying to crawl through the glass, the sound of the storm almost deafening.

Ianto slumped as he realised they might be here longer than first thought.

Would it pass overnight?

They were supposed to go home tomorrow.


	35. Chapter 35

35

Kev, 'just call me Kev' was a nice man, telling them that none of the children were his he just seemed to collect them.

"So, you've had children with you all the way along?" Ebony asked as she offered an orange to one wide eyed child.

"Sometimes more, sometimes less but yeah" he said sadly.

"We hear that" Ianto sighed, "Loss is so…unacceptable when there are so few of us now, each one a personal failure."

"Exactly" Kev sighed, running a hand over his dark face and Ianto watched Martha's eyes follow the movement. His messy afro was almost dreads and she knew Marley was itching to wither tease it out or in.

"We have a sleeping area" she said to him kindly, "The bed department of course."

He laughed softly "I tried to clean this place out of Zs for a place to live but there were so many"

"We only found a few, seems they left to hunt you down" Rhys offered an explanation, "For mindless freaks they are scarily organised sometimes."

"Yeah" he huffed.

"I can see by the way you are loving Martha's MK that you are ex military?" Ianto asked as he grew weary of the way the man's eyes kept sliding to her assault rifle, "But…I don't see a red cap on you."

"Unit?" Kev scoffed, "Bunch of wankers! Nah, green beret. Her Majesty's Brigade! Nah, Unit did approach me one time and I told them to fuck off. After the way they handled the who T1 thing, nah. Fuckers!"

Ianto leaned back and looked at him with a keener eye, "What do you know about Canary Warf?"

"Not a terrorist bombing" Kev said between bites of sandwich, "Aliens. The bloody ghosts were aliens. Some other aliens turned up and they had a big fight. Bloody disgusting the way they think they can brain wash us. My sister died there!"

"I thought so" Ianto said more to himself than the room, "Marion Henderson. You are her little brother, she had a photo of you in her cubicle."

Kev had stopped chewing as he stared at Ianto, then he swallowed, "You …you were T1?"

"Yeah, I was a survivor..well. I guess we are all survivors now" Ianto shrugged, "I was Torchwood London originally."

"We never even got her body for burial" Kev lamented, "I think she was…assimilated or whatever they call it."

"Converted" Ianto said with a shudder.

"Yeah" Kev sighed, looking at the little girl he said was called Carla.

"So…" he looked furtively at Ianto again, clearly seeing who was in charge here, "You have a few people back at your camp then?"

"Yes" Ianto replied shortly, "We have a process. A home we will help you settle into at a neighbouring farm. When we have got to know one another and feel…safe with one another we can let you see us more. Please understand, we have been betrayed before and are just trying to make sure we gel. If not, you are welcome to stay there or we will help you on your way."

He nodded and smiled as he watched Marley lift the little girl onto her hip and carry her off to find something to play with.

"We are supposed to leave tomorrow, hopefully this storm passes and we can roll" Mickey said as he stretched and scratched his stomach, "If it keeps up the roads will be too boggy for the vehicle transporter and we need that."

"Tomorrow I will scout ahead to the main highway, if it's clear we can move out" Ianto said as he rose to check on the food then a huge boom had them all running for the windows.

"Holy shit!" Kev whispered as the solar panels went up, the building seemed to explode like it was made of toothpicks and he stepped back for the window as debris flew.

"It's OK, we're far enough back. We've not had one this powerful before, the weather patterns are all changing as the Mother Earth recovers from the scurge of mankind" Ianto said calmly and Kev turned to look at the man he couldn't quite get a handle on. He seemed so young and those young people called him Tad but there could only be a ten year age gap if that?

Kev suddenly had the epiphany that they were alike.

Gathering the lost and lonely.

/

/

/

Ianto curled on the bed and smiled as Jack's voice purred down the line of the sat phone, "Think it'll clear?"

"I hope so Cariad" Ianto sighed, "I miss you so much. I will scout at first light tomorrow, this can give us some problems but I would rather roll and fix as we go rather than wait for it all to dry out. It could take days and I can't sleep properly without you."

"Me neither" Jack's voice was strained, "I keep reaching for you and poor wee Deano is in the bed cuddling your pillow. Even Frank has started hunting for you."

"Awwww" Ianto smiled as he thought of the toys they had gathered already, "We found some walkie talkies, imagine the fun the kids will have. Frank can learn Morse Code to click and talk like when they have radio silence."

"Brilliant" Jack perked up, "I'll start teaching him, gods he is so clever. He will love having a secret language with Dean."

"Love you" Ianto sighed, rising and preparing to close down the call, "I'll call again at bedtime for the song for Dean."

"Love you too" Jack sighed down the line, "Say hi to the others."

Ianto closed the phone down and went in search of Bonnie.

She was still collecting and he wondered what she had possibly found now.


	36. Chapter 36

36

Bonnie had filled the vehicles on the transporter as well as the back of the Land Rover.

She and Kev were now in a stand-off as he stood in front of the car he had driven in.

"But there is heaps of room!" she argued, exasperatedly throwing her arms up. They had clearly been arguing for some time.

"Bon, this is his vehicle not ours" Ianto said softly, "Perhaps he does not want to share room, or he wants his own things in there?"

"But there are four sewing machines in mint condition, we really bloody need them!" she spluttered as she swung to look at Ianto, "everyone else is full!"

Ianto sighed and turned to look at her efforts.

"I see tons of room" he pointed at the carrier, "Space between vehicles for crates to stack and there are a shit load of those in the Plastics Barn over there."

"Oh my god, I didn't think of the space under them either, shit!" Ebony took off and Kev relaxed as Ianto turned to look at him and cant his head.

"All that you have chosen, you have stacked in the back of Rolling Thunder. What do you have in the vehicle that makes it dangerous?" he finally asked and Kev's eyes lit up as he motioned him closer.

"This little beauty is charged!" he whispered, "A final hurrah. Gelignite!"

A rolling bomb" Ianto grinned, "I get it. OK, so the kids can come in Rolling Thunder, we can explain that it is the only vehicle that is bullet proof in case of ambush. I know what you have now, this is a brilliant idea!"

Kev grinned, "I knew you'd get it. She seems a bit too…mother earth to forgive what it is possibly fr."

"Agreed" Ianto sighed, "I love Ebony and she is a wonderful nurturer, but she hasn't a malicious bone in her body and unfortunately the only way to survive is to be able to react without compassion at times."

They were relieved that the storm had blown over and the boys set off at first light on the bikes to scout the way out of the city, Ianto nervously waiting by the large doors as everyone did last minute checks or that one more snatch and grab they had been thinking about.

"OK" the coms crackled with Billy's warm voice, "All Clear Tad."

Ianto raised is arm and then dropped it, signalling their intent to move out and Kev was pleased to find everyone moving in unison. A squad again, it felt good to be part of a team.

Rolling Thunder sat behind Kev who took the lead with Ianto sitting beside him. The other vehicles followed with the transporter at the back. As they neared the turn onto the main road the coms cracked again, "Passing the third marker Tad. All quiet here."

They put on speed and were soon hooning along with the windows down listening to the music of a long since dead group, tapping in time when Ianto frowned and reached to to turn it down, then reaching for his coms, "Billy? Sweetheart, check in please."

Kev glanced at his watch and saw it had been half an hour exactly. Freaky, he hadn't checked a watch or anything but had known the time to the second?

"Billy?"

A dark shadow passed then and Kew turned his head with surprise as some bees or something swarmed past and he turned to say something to Ianto but found the door swinging and Ianto gone.

Now, you might say that's no big deal but when travelling at 80ks an hour is it pretty damned weird to have your companion suddenly leap out and disappear.

They rounded a bend and Kev slammed the breaks on, cursing as he saw some sort of barrier across the road made up of two felled trees, some fencing and a vehicle jammed in what would have been the only space between trunks. It looked freshly made, new and was clearly the way the group had come, so it had been put there by someone since.

There were several men dancing around and he wondered if the bee swarm had been in one of the trees.

Then he saw Billy and Stephen calmly walking amongst them firing at their heads and the men would fold gracefully to the ground as each was assassinated.

Just when you thought it couldn't get any creepier this huge…I mean motherfucking elephant sized wolf thing appears and started swiping his huge paws about, splattering men as well and then there is this weird silence, broken as Stephen calmly shoots a writhing man in the face and then checked his weapon before holstering it without showing any emotion.

Kev is out of the vehicle watching as Stephen turns to the beast and grins, then turns to examine the vehicle that is wedged firmly in their path. Billy is checking the beast for injuries and talking softly, as Kev approaches he hears, "Ok Tad?"

"He on coms?" Kev asked, "Tell him I can clear this with the car."

"OK" Billy nods as the black beast seems to shrink back into the trees and is gone.

Kev would have like to get a closer look at the mythical style creature but there were more pressing matters. He jacked the front of the car up and then put it in gear. He had aimed the car for the obstruction and then jammed the piece of wood down on the accelerator so the tyres spun in the air and he then tugged hard on the rope attached to the jack, watching the car slam down and take off with a hiss and a roar.

It plunged into the roadblock and the whole thing went up in flames as he watched with delight.

God he loves blowing shit up.

Mickey's crowing in the background reassuring him there was a kindred spirit amongst them and he swung to grin at the man. A glint of something shiny had him instinctively stepping on front of Billy, barking a warning.

The bullet hit him before he even registered the gun shot from the other tree line.

Shit.

Stupid that, should have done a secondary sweep for back-up.

Kev went down hard.


	37. Chapter 37

37

Ken lay gasping for air, knowing his lung was punctured and feeling murderous. He was trying to raise his weapon despite the pain, wanting to fire into the tress out of sheer temper and Mickey was talking softly as he touched him but he couldn't really hear.

The screaming was pretty horrible and he let his head loll as he watched men explode from the trees, running towards them with their arms flailing and mouths wide open as they cried out with fear.

The sight of the huge beast lumbering after them like a cat chasing a mouse was strangely satisfying and he laughed even as blood bubbled up into his throat.

"Go wolfy" he choked as he watched a man's head torn off with animistic rage.

He last conscious thought was of the children, hoping they hadn't seen him fall.

.

.

.

Logan had worked feverishly to save the big man, relieved once he had managed to insert a shunt to allow air back into the lung re-inflating it.

Kev's rattling breath soothing as Ianto stood nearby dressing and cursing a storm.

"Ianto, we have to get him to Owen, I can't do a proper triage here" Logan called out, "I can drain the lung and keep allowing air through the shunt but this is short term."

"We load him into RT and go like the fucking wind" the growl was still Wolfling and several people shuddered at the rage oozing from the man's pores.

"He needs Owen, he needs Holdfast" Logan repeated, "The Welcome House…"

"Is not acceptable, yeah I get it" Ianto sighed, "We roll straight into the side tunnel of Stronghold and Owen meets us there with one of the carts. We transport him up to Holdfast or keep him in Stronghold if they have the medical bay rebuild yet. I doubt it, it was totally washed away so I think it will be a run up to Owen's place up top."

"Agreed" Sean slapped his brother on the shoulder and felt the heat, rubbing it as he tried to soothe his ruffled invisible fur.

They drove like maniacs, Ianto now in the jump seat as RT took the lead of the convoy with the bikes scouting ahead then falling back at intervals to report.

Once close enough to SH Ianto contacted Tosh and explained the situation, those listening in all agreeing and Ianto knew the village was in total combat readiness as they swept through the valley and headed for the rock face.

Kev blinked blearily as he rolled his head to look at Logan, "Whea we?"

"Hush, try not to talk" Logan soothed, "We are home. Just have faith a little longer friend."

Kev looked out the window and his eyes widened as they drove straight towards a cliff face, then …through it.

"Hologram" Logan whispered as he rubbed Kev's arm, "We're home. Thank the gods, we made it back."

RT disappeared into the moss and stone followed by the two refrigerated trucks, the Double Decker bus, Land Rover and Vehicle Transporter. As the tail lights blinked out of existence the rock face solidified again and a lone Mara swung from an exposed tree root sticking out of the rock face back into the bushes beside the tracks as he followed his kin back to the safety of the trees.

A tunnel system.

Kev watched lights flashing past and realised with shock that there was something powering the lighting, they had power? They seemed to travel downwards and his weary mind whispered that he couldn't see a ceiling and the transporter he could hear changing gear behind then was taller than the bus.

Holy shit.

Then came the huge cavern and Ianto slipped from the seat, kneeling and saying something he couldn't make out into the coms as the doors swung open.

A small man clambered in, reaching for Ianto and hugging him. His husband? Kevin expected someone …I don't know…bigger.

Then the man turned to face him and glared at him like he had just farted in his face.

"Right, what fucking mess have you brought me?" Owen demanded and as Owen moved Kev saw another man entering and this time there was a kiss and a clutch for the handsome man who was openly relieved to see him.

Ah. Right.

Looked familiar.

Kev's last thought as he drifted out was that he looked just like that Harkness fella from Torchwood Cardiff.


	38. Chapter 38

38

Kev woke to a warm bed and the window open, a breeze across his chest and bandages covering his shoulder.

He heard the faint laugher of children and he moaned softly as he rolled to sit on the edge of the bed, examining the bandage then peeling it pack gently to see neat stitching and a clean wound.

"Oi!" a voice snarked, making him look up as the acrid little man entered, "Stop fucking with it!"

"Where am I?" Kev asked, still trying to remember what happened.

"Holdfast" Owen answered, "Our primary village. You've been out of it for a couple of days, your lung collapsed on us again so I knocked you out to keep you still. Ianto has been told you are awake and he will come across from the school."

"School" Kev said with incredulity.

"Kev" Ianto's warm Welsh vowels curled around the room as he entered, his smile brightening them both as Owen immediately grinned back and reached out to place a hand on Ianto's arm.

"He's good for a wee walk, nothing strenuous but he might pop a blood vessel if we keep him down much longer" Owen said happily, "That bird of mine down below?"

"Yeah, the new cameras and sensors are being installed at the Northern Entrance." Ianto nodded then turned to Kev, "Now I brought you some clothes because the womenfolk here are a bit excitable when they see man flesh. Believe me, after the eighth pinched arse cheek you are SOOOO over it!"

Owen snorted, "Speak for yourself. When even my Tosh would race after you and Jack, leaving me like a limp noodle."

Kev dressed, feeling stronger as he found himself able to move.

"Something to eat first" Ianto said softly, "Some soup and fresh bread might be best, you've been asleep for a while and need some fuel."

"Sounds great" Kev followed Ianto out into the village and looked around with wonder, the buildings all large and shiny. As they walked towards the large red house Kev slowed to let some kids race past and Ianto scooped one up as the little boy screamed and laughed, Ianto kissing his face and setting him back on his feet as some other children waited.

"And what are you up to here?" Ianto asked as he knelt and smiled at the wee boy, Kev seeing eyes looking back that were identical.

"We are going to do rubbings Taddy!" Dean told him, "Look, you brought back crayons for us to do rubbings with. Frank already did one of the plate wall!"

Ianto turned and a child stepped forward, taking Kev's breath away as the face turned up towards Ianto with fangs on display. Ianto showed no fear and reached for the piece of paper in its …claws?

"Oh Frank, that is brilliant. Look, I didn't even know there was a love heart shape in the tiles" Ianto held it up as the creature looked as well and reached out those sharp claws to trace a love heart in the markings to show he understood.

"Lovely Frankie, don't forget to take this to your Daddy, you know he will crow and put it on the fridge for sure!" Ianto leaned in and kissed the little face as the creature hummed softly and Kev found himself kneeling to get a better look.

"Hello there young fella" he said softly hoping he got the right sex based on the name, "I'm Kev. That is a mighty fine looking gun you have there."

The little thing showed teeth again and Kev realised it was a smile, twisting to show Kev the little gun had a walkie talkie next to it and he tapped it several times.

"Is that…Morse? Did you say hello?" Kev asked with surprise.

"Frank doesn't have the vocal cords to speak as we do" Ianto explained, "Weevils mostly grumble and moan. We got those at the mall, these three are called the Three Musketeers or the 3Ms. My youngest son Dean, Martha's daughter Bella and Frank here. They are all learning Morse Code so they can communicate with the talkies. They already have some of the alphabet down, I think in a couple of months they will be fluent."

"That's bloody brilliant" Kev boomed, laughing softly as the little man nodded his agreement.

"Off you go, enjoy the day" Ianto smiled, watching them run off then he turned to point at the building with the glass front and back, a mezzanine level visible. "That's the school house, top level is a library. The kids spend the morning s in there and while the weather is good, the afternoon on the loose like little heathens, well we all are I suppose."

"Frank, he is…special. Clever" Kev pointed out.

"His kind are called Weevils." Ianto explained, "An alien race that live in the sewer systems. Lived. Don't know how they've fared. Frank was found abandoned, we don't know if his Mama left him or died. Owen adopted him but he sort of belongs to all of us."

"He's proud of his appearance" Kev noted, "He knows he's different? Wants to match?"

"yes" Ianto nodded "Don't we all?"

They entered the Big House and Kev felt his stomach come to life as the smells assaulted him.

"Oh, he's up!" a lovely little lady came shooting out of the kitchen, her perfectly fixed silver hair framed her sweet face as she headed for him, "You sit here you poor Baban, let Nainny get you some soup, darling? You hungry too?"

"Yes please" Ianto smiled at her lovingly, "That's me Nainny. My Poppy is out and about, probably with Ebony somewhere. She's his minion these days with the forge they've built."

As Kev settled to eat he looked at the huge table and he felt a peace in the room as he was reminded of his ancestral home in Hawaii.

It felt like he had found home.


	39. Chapter 39

39

"IANTO!" the voice was loud and full of anger, making Kev look up with surprise as Jack stomped into the room, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Eating soup, I believe Sir" Ianto answered without looking up from the dinner roll he was buttering.

"I was looking everywhere, then they say he's up and you've gone walkies with him!" Jack raged, his arms flapping about, the Kev felt his anger flare as he recognised the Captain.

"Excuse me Captain Harkness" He rose to tower over the man with his Hawaiian physique making him bearlike, "Did you just refer to me as a dog?"

Jack blinked and looked at Kev like he had only just noticed him there, the grimace one of annoyance not fear, "Back off, I'm taking to my bloody husband."

Ianto rose and dabbed politely at his mouth with a napkin, looking absurdly proper as Jack seethed like a three year old about to hold its breath until it got its way.

"Cariad, this is Kev Momoa. He is Hawaiian and was a green beret. You've met I believe, given his instant dislike for you" Ianto waved a hand at the tower of muscle bristling over Jack, "gorgeous isn't he."

Jack did seem to stop breathing as his eyes widened, as did his mouth and then he blinked. "Momoa. You were there at the Queen's bash at Balmoral that time! You beat me at chess!"

Kev grunted in reply and Jack frowned as he tried to work out why he didn't like him, then his face cleared and he snorted as he pointed at Ianto, "He's protecting you? That's rich. Wait. You think I called you a dog? I wasn't calling anyone a…shit. That was rude. Baby, I'm sorry that was a shitty term to use. Sorry love."

Ianto seemed to soften as he accepted the apology and Kev stepped back to show he was not going to pursue it either.

"Jack was referring to me as the dog and it was unintentional" Ianto turned to Kev, "You see, my husband is a hot head."

"Oi! I'm right here!" Jack growled, then to Kev's surprise he smiled warmly at Ianto, "I love you so much, that foot spa you brought back is sooooo nice. Can we look for the lavender oils today?"

Kev blinked at the sudden change in personality and syrupy sweetness then turned to see Ianto smiling back as he nodded, "Whatever you want Cariad, you know I love lavender in our bedding too."

"Oooo, yeah" Jack gushed, "Wash it with it in the water, yummy!"

Ianto sighed and shook his head as Nainny appeared and raced over to ask Jack if he was OK, did he want food, was he feeling OK?

Kev was surprised at the level of attentiveness, then as Jack spoke his hands moved to rub his belly, the little …rounded…Kev blinked as he recalled a conversation they had while playing that chess game about children and the rain.

"Are you pregnant?" he blurted out and Jack swung to look at him with shock, "Only, that time we played chess and I asked if you had kids, you sort of shuddered and said something about the rain and birth control. You were pretty baked, had drunk over half a bottle of her finest scotch but you seemed so…believable. You…oh wow. Just…wow."

Kev took a chair as he stared into space. Processing as Jack grimaced and sat too, still rubbing his belly.

"I remember you" Jack finally said, "I propositioned you, you laughed and said I wasn't your type. I asked what your type was and you said…you said…free."

"I knew what Torchwood was to you, and you to them" Kev nodded, "I knew you were as much a piece of property as a figurehead. Don't get me wrong, I like flesh regardless of gender but…you seemed too…distant to everyone like you were watching us through Perspex glass. Ya know?"

"After Lisa" Ianto said softly "That's the weekend you went up to brief her on what happened in the Barrens wasn't it. You came back more yourself."

"Yeah" Jack sighed, "Lizzie always knew how to kick me up the arse and push me forward. Loved Balmoral too, so much nicer than the London pad."

"The Palace" Ianto said dryly.

"Shit" Kev said softly, "The Palace. Yeah. My usual haunt. I was one of the security for the vaults."

"Vaults?" Martha had arrived and sat with a baby on her knee that reached for Ianto with big eyes until he took it and cuddled it to him like a teddy bear.

"Yeah, the huge bunker under the palace. God. It was built after the blitz. Bomb proof, atmospherically controlled and it had this…technology that we were told was none of our business but I do remember one of the engineers saying something about them not being able to get it to the degree Doctor Sato had it at, but the bubble would hold as long at the was sunlight to repower the batteries or something."

Jack blinked as Ianto started to laugh. "A time bubble, you're saying there is a Doomsday Bunker under Buckingham Palace with a Time Bubble keeping it and everything inside pristine as the day it was activated!"

"Yeah, apparently this Doctor Sato was a bloody genius" Kev snorted as Tosh and Owen entered.

"Thank you" Tosh said as she reached for a bun, "I do have an IQ of over 180"

Now it was Kev's turn to blink.

"Corporal Momoa, meet Doctor Sato." Ianto said with glee.

Tosh looked over her glasses rims at him and smiled softly.

Kev wondered how deep down the rabbit hole they were going with this mad hatter's tea party.


	40. Chapter 40

40

"So….IQ of over 180?"

"185 actually" she shrugged, "No where near Ianto's though, he went off the scale because it only goes to 200. I think he sort of broke it."

Ianto snorted softly as he learned in to address her, "Now Tosh. You know I was genetically engineered, DNA spliced and artificially manipulated. I am not even a human. You are the smartest person on the room, always. I am the most aware enigma. We can both own those titles."

Tosh laughed softly as she nodded, then leaned back and rubbed her face, "If they did use that technology it might not be still active. My predictions were only done until year five."

"Might it still be turning over?" Jack asked, "Can you effort those numbers for me love?"

"Give me a few hours" she rose and leaned in to kiss Ianto on the cheek, then turned to kiss her husband, "I will have to crunch the numbers and recheck my calculations but…theoretically we could have pulled it to ten years but…that was purely hypothetical. I never submitted it as a finished thought."

"Well, go think" Jack nodded as he leaned back to rub his belly, Kev grinning at him.

"You know this means another recon" Ianto sighed softly and Jack's face fell.

"But you said…bugger" Jack groaned, "They will want to go as soon as, even if Tosh comes up short just in case there are salvageable things."

"We can try for a satellite view to see if the palace is still intact for a start" Ianto pointed out, "If it's rubble there is no point"

Kev nodded as he agreed, "I hate to think of the place levelled, I doubt it is."

Jack huffed, "But why do you have to go!"

"Because our son will!" Ianto snapped, "Jack, do you seriously want to watch Billy roar off on a Recon on that fucking bike without one of us to watch his back?"

Jack nodded morosely and tried one more, "But what about our other son? And daughter for that matter? You've spent hardly any time with them lately, not since the attempted kidnapping."

"Kidnapping?" Kev frowned.

"It's OK they were eliminated" Ianto assured him distractedly as he rose from the table, "and as for you, I can't believe you would use our children as ammunition. You have one inside you right now and you question my love for them? Well, I think I am going for a run to try and find some peace."

"Ianto?" Jack rose, his face contrite, "I didn't mean it, that was low."

Ianto didn't answer as he stormed out and Jack slumped back into the chair, "Shit. Hormones make me so bitchy."

"He wanted to get back to you" Kev scolded, "The rain had him frantic as he thought of possible hazards that might slow us down. He spoke of you with sure a look of excitement, even clasping his hands as he told me how you proposed to him in the hayfield."

Jack nodded and rose to leave.

"You going after him then?"

"You kidding?" Jack laughed softly, "I wouldn't have a hope of catching him even in Rolling Thunder! When he goes, he goes like the wind itself. No, he'll go to the woods and seethe for a while with _them_ , then forgive me and come back. I will feel even worse then because I know he will always forgive me and believe me I can be a real bastard when I want to be."

Kev wondered who 'them' was but said nothing.

Jack walked out to watch the children running about, crayons in their hands as paper was lovingly used, each piece treated reverently. He was so glad Ianto had raided the stationary store. He walked over to the large barn where they were still sorting things and he heard a repeated smashing noise, stepping aside as Kev stormed past to see what was wrong.

They found Ebony standing on the Transporter unloading a car by heaving the crockery over the side onto the concrete where a large tarp was catching the smashing china.

"What the hell are you doing!" Kev roared, "You're fucking it!"

Ebony turned with surprise then broke into a peel of laughter at his face and pointed to some neatly stacked boxes of sets, "Ya numpty! These are the ones for my projects!"

"Come see" she jumped down and he followed her out to the 'plate wall' and she pointed to the 'glassroom' as he reached out to run his hands over the plate pieces used as tiles.

"Reuse, recycle, reclaim" she said proudly, "See the glass? The church was buggered anyway."

"Wow" he sighed, "Wonderful place to build little warriors."

Martha had followed and she smiled as she and Ebony shared a look.

He'll do.


	41. Chapter 41

41

The committee didn't have a choice as Ianto calmly told them that he had a vision. Kev was accepted as a member of the pack and they all nodded as Jack declared the meeting closed.

Kev stood in the open field as Ianto undid his shirt and he looked at Jack with confusion.

Jack leaned against the tree stump Martha was sitting on and played with a blade of grass as Ianto then proceeded to take his trousers off.

Finally naked, Ianto stood and addressed him, "Just remember to take a breath and then let it out, OK?"

Kev glanced at Martha who was looking at the naked man with indifference, as one would their brother and he looked over to find Marley also sitting on the ground leaning against Billy like she had seen this all before.

Then he turned back to look at Ianto and….fuck.

The air was shimmering around him like he was on fire, an invisible heat that shifted to a golden glow as Ianto threw his head back and fell to his hand and knees…no. Paws. Paws and furry legs and a HUGE ARSE chest….

Kev took a ragged breath.

The huge Wolfling lowered his head and huffed softly, reminding him to breathe out.

It was like expelling fire.

"It's still me" the growl sounded…Welsh and Kev blinked, then started to laugh.

How could he not.

OK, so this is not Alice on Wonderland, it's Never Ending Story and the dragon was fucking epic.

"Do you fly?" he sniggered and the eyeball the size of his fist blinked slowly.

"No, that would be weird" the thing growled.

Kev leaned forward, gripping his knees and he laughed some more, then a noise had him turning in time to see a black mist swirl up from the ground….ground beside Billy….AHHHHH FUCK.

Marley's clothes had slid to the ground and Billy was casually folding them as the swarm moved over to Ianto, then took a vaguely humanoid form, leaning against the flank of the beast.

"So, my intended is from the same lab as Ianto" Billy said calmly, "Beautiful, isn't she?"

Kev finally got his breath back and he rose to put his hands on his hips, squinting into the sun, "Fucking epic!"

"That's what I always say" Owen said gleefully, "Brilliant isn't it? Our secret weapons."

"No wonder you want to be on the recons, shit" Kev snorted, "What I saw out there was not a patch on what you are capable of, is it."

"You have no idea" Jack grinned, "Ianto is a man of many talents."

"Well, he suits me!" Kev declared, "Let's go find what that pretty little blossom has worked out."

"Oi, she's my blossom" Owen said sulkily and Kev tucked him into his armpit as they walked like a child.

"Aw, come on wee man, I wouldn't take your bird off ya, she looks like a right mad woman. Bet she would cut my nuts off if I tried anything, eh?" he prodded as Owen bristled, his smile betraying his pride as he nodded.

"Wee Frank" Kev continued talking as they walked, "He seems so clever. You considered a little three or four wheeled bike? Bet he could kick it over with those strong legs. A lot of first motorbikes out there."

"He is advanced, I did wonder if he could work an automatic vehicle one day" Ianto said as he fell into step, still doing up his buttons as Jack carried his jacket for him, "He watched me driving and knows the pedals already. A little go-cart or something first to get him used to steering and visual awareness. He doesn't have great eyesight. The bright sun dazzles him"

"Welder's goggles" Kev said and Ianto clapped his hands together.

"Christ yes, the ones that are tinted, not black outs. Shit, I never thought. Like sunglasses and they wouldn't slide off the slanting face of they were secured with elastic."

Owen was listening and spoke up, "Snow goggles? Don't we have some in the winter room?"

"Yes!" Ianto looked back at him as Kev looked at Ianto with confusion.

"Winter room?" Kev asked.

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Kev could only stare as he turned in a slow circle, the 'Wardrobe House' enough of a shock without this. Snowsuits, snowboots, skis, a fucking snowmobile sitting loaded.

"Why is that back in here!" Ianto demanded, "Bloody Mickey! Why does he keep hiding it?"

"It's red" Martha shrugged "The other ones are green. You know he likes red."

"It has to go out into the vehicle pool with the rest" Ianto growled and she shrugged.

"You reason with him!" Martha threw her hands into the air, "He's all but pissed on it to claim it as his."

"Well, does writing his name on it count?" Kev started to giggle as he pointed and a scrawled signature across the seat had Ianto sighing, then reaching for a vivid marker.

Kev watched as Ianto drew a Mickey Mouse on the fuel tank, then capped the pen.

"Fine, it's his" he said.

"He's gonna go right off" Martha laughed as she looked at it, "He'll find out it's you and have to pretend he likes it out of fear of upsetting you!"

"Yeah, got get my kicks where I can" Ianto shrugged.

Kev understood more as he watched the two talk as if siblings speaking of another brother.

Like family.

A tribe.

It felt so good to be part of it.


	42. Chapter 42

42

Ianto…"

Ianto was in FB, folding clothing into a duffel bag for the next recon and he turned to cut Jack off as he entered the room, "No. I will not listen to any more of your protests when we know the real reason you are so upset is that you cannot come to watch over me."

Jack sat on the bed and morosely picked at the shirt Ianto had thrown down, folding it wrong so Ianto had to snatch it up and do it correctly.

"Jack, you were really hurtful" Ianto said softly, not looking at him, "We both know that pup will be attached to me the moment you let it go."

Jack looked up at Ianto, his pout larger than one of Hope's.

"Cariad, I love being the Mama" Ianto crooned, "It's OK. I will lament not being able to breastfeed, that's all. I know you are of more use around here than me physically. You are the one they look to for projects, ideas and any taskforces needed. As soon as that wee bean pops out you will be back into things boots and all while I do nappy duty. I revel in it. I do!"

Ianto stepped between Jack's legs and let him rest his head against him, stroking his hair as he continued to speak, "I am the one of more use out there. I am dangerous, unpredictable and deadly. I will always want you with me, to ground me as much as I do you. Oh Cariad, I do love you and hate seeing you upset. You know I have to go and you have to stay. It was like that with Hope and Dean. It killed me thinking I was letting you down, or not defending our pack. Seriously, I get it, I do."

Jack sighed and rubbed his face against his husband, breathing in the Wolfling tang that still clung to him.

"I will be careful, I will come home. I want our boy to as well." Ianto whispered, "Marley and I will go, we will persevere and we will let them think they did some of the work, OK?"

Jack laughed into Ianto and then sat back and nodded knowing Ianto was right. Of course he was. He's Ianto.

"It's going to be at least another two nighter" Jack muttered. "Probably three, maybe four."

"Once that one is born I will not want to leave until he is old enough to be left behind" Ianto smiled, "I don't want to wait six months, ten months. I need to do this now before you need me here to care for you, to fuss over you and revel in the coming birth. Come on, we both know this is likely to be a massive undertaking but…Jack, if it is there we not only have what we need to see us through the next winter without the need for another recon, we also have a potential asset. We owe Tosh the chance to see her bubble at work, right?"

Jack sighed and nodded as he flopped back into the bed and stared at the vaulted ceiling of the log house.

"I don't wanna be alone" Jack huffed.

"With Hope and Dean that's not likely." Ianto snorted, "Besides Martha and Mickey will call dibs again, you know Bella will vote to be here, the 3Ms will want a camp out in the front room. Frank will patrol with his wee security uniform and Owen will come sleep over pretending its to help watch the kids instead of really wanting reassurance from you while Tosh is gone. You will have their kids as well to consider. Little Ifan will be brave, Blossom won't be. Poppy will just want to poop and eat. God that kid can eat for a baby. Frank will love it."

"He's a lovely wee beastie" Jack said as he grinned, "Did you see him in the goggles?"

"Bright orange, hard to miss" Ianto laughed, "I think Hope was jealous the way she went for the old ones from the bug and wore them on her head."

"Steampunk kids" Jack said dreamily, "We are building the next generation of degenerates."

"No Cariad" Ianto whispered as he snuggled against him, whispering his ear, "We are building the groundwork for Timelords."

Jack stalled out.

"Think about it" Ianto said as he propped himself on an elbow and looked down at his Captain, "The vortex, the shifting…the reason we have been spared, helped and nurtured by the goddess. Jack, this _is_ when everything changes. We are building Gallifreyans. Our great, great whatever children will one day travel across the void, they will find a way to harness the technology we are leaving for them, the genius IQs Tosh and I, you, I suspect Kev…we are the DNA for the new world."

Jack remembered the Doctor looking at him as he called him an ape with affection. Every face the Doctor wore was human. If he was truly not human why did he always regenerate as one?

Jack wondered if he knew.

Was this the real reason he was not here to stop thing, change things?

This whole fucked up thing was a fixed point in the Doctor's existence?

"The New Earth" Jack whispered as he looked up at his love.

"Makes sense in a horrifying kind of way, right?" Ianto raised that eyebrow and Jack finally saw it. Ten's eyebrow.

What a mind-fuck that was.

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Those of you here on Fan Fic wondering what Kev looks like in my head need to google Jason Momoa an you will understand that there will be a few problems ahead with the man/woman ratio in camp. LOL You might know him from Stagate or Game of Thrones. I know him as definate eye candy!


	43. Chapter 43

43

"So there are…." Kev was trying to sort the photographs on the wall of the Big House into some order.

"Once Fay drops in the next month or so, there will be close to eighty souls here thanks to your arrival with the kids" Ianto said softly, "More to come."

"Shit"

"Now you see why we had to break them into more manageable groups?" Ianto settled into a chair, "There was getting too many to control. They were getting ideas and fucking up. Splitting them seems to make them see the big picture again, focus again. Like children that are separated to cool heels, this has worked."

"So, Holdfast and Stronghold" Kev pointed at photos of kids in the long grass and then photos of the caverns.

"And Fall Back" Ianto pointed to the police station with Jack out front of the log house laughing about something with Michael.

"Three?"

"During the spring and summer we live above ground at the two sites and in autumn we start moving to the lower levels, by winter we have shut the external sites down. Everything goes down, livestock included. The system is huge and endless. We can live down there permanently if need be, I am most glad we don't have to. A comfort though, to know that if those still alive send up some nukes, we will survive."

"Fuck"

"26 kids, counting the wee ones in the crèche as well" Ianto nodded, "You see the need for the school house now?"

"That little one, Sean's wee Destiny is so cute" Kev gushed and Ianto smiled softly.

"Sean and I are brothers" Ianto said happily, "Same mother. Of course, she didn't know she was carrying a genetically engineered monster, she trusted my father when he artificially inseminated her."

"You are not a monster!" Kev snapped, "Don't say such a thing. Shit. You are a blessing. A bloody blessing! OK?"

"Remember that when I tell you that you are staying here" Ianto replied and Kev made a sound not unlike Dean makes when told no more snacks as dinner is almost ready.

"No!" Ianto answered the same way as well, "I've decided. You are not fully healed, infection could be an issue and let's face it. Like it or not, that wound would attract Zs, you know it would. You also have kids here, still settling in. Imagine their faces, telling them you were abandoning them!"

"Ah shit" Kev slumped in the chair as he agreed, Ianto was right.

"We will be on coms, now we have the tech up and running there is no reason why we can't be on constant coms during the infiltration. We will wear body armour and cameras, you can watch us on the screen and know what is happening like VR." Ianto explained, "Come on, come down to the Inner Hub and see Tosh's empire under our feet. Then you will understand."

Kev wearily flowed Ianto, realising he was lagging and the golf cart sitting at the bottom of the stairs was not only cute, it was welcome.

As they belted along Kev saw the real size of the thing, the real grandness of their world below.

Fuck.

He could live down here with ease, obviously they were preparing in case that became a reality and he was slightly tickled at the idea of them going back to caves live like first man.

They came to a parking area and Ianto climbed out "The red door is Tosh."

They walked in and the huge cavern took his breath away. It was floor to ceiling crystals, a beautiful glittering paradise and in the middle of it sat Tosh, swinging in a chair like a Captain on the bridge of a ship as she worked the several workstations surrounding her.

He then saw the walls were dotted with screens and cameras were showing multiple things above and below. FB had its own wall and he stumbled over to see the livestock spanning the fields and a young man calmly leading what looked like….fuck. "Is that a giraffe?"

"Don't ask" Ianto huffed, "I have no idea how it got out of a zoo, let alone survived the Zs long enough to get along the riverbed. The kids love it but the fucker is so picky when it comes to winter feed."

"Well, just when you think the hole can't go any deeper" Kev muttered and Ianto glanced at him.

"Are you making Alice in Wonderland comments?"

Kev grinned at him, "You know…I really like you!"

"And I you" Ianto smiled back, "We seem to be on the same page. Nice to have the same book too."

Now Kev was roaring with laughter at the quip as he moved to look at the school house screen, the children with their heads bowed as others ran about like maniacs.

"What are they doing?"

"Those are praying" Ianto said as he squinted at the screen, "They choose to believe in a god or goddess. We don't believe in pushing here, if they want to believe, that's their lookout. We do not have a church but we do have that area designated for prayer. We all have the right to thank, ask or just acknowledge who or what we want."

"Well said" Jack said as he entered, "In the 51st Century it is all a crap shoot."

"Life generally is no matter the place or time" Kev nodded, "After all, we are just crazy apes."

Ianto and Jack shared a grin.

Wonderful apes.


	44. Chapter 44

44

"But you just got back!" Hope wailed, clutching at her Taddy's arm.

"I know" Ianto soothed, "But if we go back now then it will mean not going again for a very long time."

"You said that last time!" now she stamped her foot, her eyes filling with tears, "Daddy and me missed you forever!"

"Oh darling" Ianto slumped, "I missed you too. My heart ached to see you but it's something I have to do. It's too good to pass up. If the stuff is all there is will mean some things we can't get anywhere else anymore."

"Like your coffee!" she accused with narrowed eyes and Ianto felt it like a knife to the heart. He glanced at Jack for help but could see that he wasn't going to get any then realised who had given her the idea to say such a thing, Jack also pouting as he nursed a sleepy Dean, the wee fella flopped against Jack's small bump.

"I seem to remember you complaining about feeling like the wife of our relationship once upon a time" Jack snapped, "So now you would rather bugger off than give our children the attention they need? When you were with child I seem to remember that I stayed by your side!"

"Jack…"

"No, go then" Jack huffed, rising awkwardly as he tried not to upset the little boy whose head was lolling, "You run off and be the man. For someone who didn't want to be in charge, you do a fair imitation these days!"

"Jack, you're being a bit sensitive" Ianto tried to reach for him, "Cariad, come on. This is not how you normally see things, you know you are hormonal right now, maybe if we just go to bed for a cud…."

"No!" Jack pouted, "Why bother."

Ianto nodded and rose, walking away before his distress upset Frank who was watching them all with wide eyes…as wide as weevil eyes get.

"Tad!" Billy was running over and Ianto slowed his walk about FB, waiting for his son to catch up and Billy's face was full of glee, "We are really doing a quick turn around?"

"Yes, Marley and I are heading out at first light…well. I might as well go now" Ianto huffed, "Seems like I won't get any loving tonight. We head out to scout as Rolling Thunder follows with the stock truck. If Kev is right and the bubble has held, there will be vehicles down there all pristine and in good order. Transport carriers and troop carriers that can be loaded to be driven back."

Billy frowned as he glanced in the direction of the house, "Dad not happy to see you? I thought…."

"Let's just say he's made it clear that I am not about to get the cuddle I was seeking for luck" Ianto sighed, rubbing at his face, "Just leave it. He's made it clear how unhappy he is with me going. He agreed we have to, just wants a larger gap between recons."

"But if Tosh is right the power might not last much longer, or already failed within the last few months. Stuff could be going bad while we wait!" Billy pointed out and Ianto threw his arms up.

"Not me you have to argue with love, look. Go cuddle your lady and kiss her goodbye, I'll slip out under the full moon. Tomorrow you guys leave and we'll meet at the agreed meeting place. By then we will know either way. Safer if it's just the two of us freaks creeping around the palace. If there are still humans, a few bugs will go unnoticed and if it is Zs, I can handle them."

"Nainny is cooking a lovely feast in honour of our loot" Billy said sadly, "Will you not stay for this one night?"

Ianto shook his head, "I think Marls wants to stay the night and that's fine. She moves so fast in clicker form that she can catch me up at first light. I will leave as soon as we have our final checks."

"Hey, hang on. We went from all of us going , to just the two of you and now just you?" Billy pointed out, "Tad, what's wrong?"

"Nothing" Ianto replied, "Just…I feel the need to go now. Something is coming I need to be back here for, something is happening in the air and I want to be ready. We need this recon, we need what is there."

"If there is anything at all" Billy reached for his Tad and hugged him, sad to see him despondent and he released him to watch him lope away towards the War Room.

After a moment's thought Billy turned and headed for the Harkness-Jones house.

Maybe he could get more sense from his Dad.


	45. Chapter 45

45

Billy entered the house and found Frank heading out, "Going home buddy? Need a ride?"

Frank shook his head and pointed at the barn where Poppy and Owen were walking along and Billy nodded, "I didn't know Daddy Owen was here, go on then. See you later baby."

Frank grinned and ran off, slightly crabbing towards his father who reached out and scooped him up as the weevil squealed with delight, then Owen popped him on a hip as he and Poppy continued talking.

"Dad?" Billy entered the house to find Hope lying on the floor with Dean, Jack sitting nearby reading.

"Hey babe" Jack grinned, still amazed that the little boy that had come to them afraid, lost and so much younger in his head than physical age had become this handsome young man starting his own family. "Remember how you wanted cuddles? You were so scared of everything. Poor little fella, lost your parents, stuck with the babysitters who you didn't really like and all that madness. Then declaring yourself our son to get up Gwen's nose, the first indicator that you were waking up and coming out of your infantile fugue."

"Infantile" Billy repeated, "Dad. I was traumatised, I thought we were all going to die and Gwen kept telling us so. Yes, I clung to you and yes I acted like a little kid but I was homeschooled, treated like a baby by my parents and this was all so terrifying there weren't words. Dad, I know hormones make you a little weird, Tad went quite weepy and self-hating sometimes. It seems that you are pushing your mood swings out, where as he pulled in."

Jack placed the book down and frowned at him, "What do you mean?"

"Dad you are coming across as angry, almost insulting" Billy said sadly, "Tad was so beaten down that he's taken off now. Not even a goodbye cuddle because he thinks you don't have one for him."

Jack's face dropped as he rose from the chair, "What do you mean, taken off!"

"Tad's gone" Billy repeated, "Scouting ahead in the moonlight, will meet up with us in the morning when we roll out. We need that stuff, we need to go and get back as quickly as we can. You know we need that technology if it is still active as well. Nainny is cooking a big feed as a farewell and Tad won't even be there for the blessing."

Jack was shoving shoes on as he reached for the coms sitting by his glass of juice, "Tosh? Is Ianto there?"

Sorry Jack, you missed him. The Dome dropped about ten minutes ago. Ianto has left" Tosh sighed, "Did you really tell him to go now? Owen is busting a gut in here, he didn't even get the pre-recon health checks done."

"Shit" Jack wailed, "I didn't mean it, I was pissy. Does he have his coms?"

"Not on" she replied, "Jack…he went in Wolfing form. I don't think he will transform until at the meeting place tomorrow when he had clothes from RT. He seemed determined to go and refused the backpack Ebony made for his Wolfling self."

"Shit" Jack repeated, "I didn't want him to go, especially like that."

"Remember how Martha went a wee bit nuts towards the end of each pregnancy?" Billy said as he watched his father pace, "She was grinding her teeth and muttering all the time? You said it was just hormones and she didn't know she was doing it. Dad, you're gnashing your teeth and muttering, only it's all aimed at Tad and it's a lot louder."

"Damn it" Jack muttered, "I always got unsociable in the final trimester, not the first."

"But you have a wolfing pup this time, all bets are off" Billy snorted, "Dad, you are already showing. Look at you! It's looking like you are about four months along, not one!"

Jack rubbed his belly and frowned as he agreed, could this be why he was flaring up?

Owen looked up as Jack entered and frowned, "I don't know what is going on but Frank was signalling loco while pointing to your house."

"I had a go at Ianto for going again, told him to bugger off so he left already. I was really hurtful and I have no idea why" Jack said as he levered himself up onto the exam table, "Do an ultrasound, Billy just made a point I hadn't thought of. I'm showing too much, is that pup growing faster with my vortex energy?"

Owen rushed to look and both men groaned as they looked at the screen, "Shit."

"Yeah" Owen snorted, "That little one is looking like a good thirteen, fourteen weeks along."

"Holy shit" Jack amended, "At this rate he will be born well before Christmas!"

"Yeah" Owen nodded, "Looks like a summer or early autumn baby for sure, bugger the spring thaw this little miss is going to be a sun worshiper."

"Miss?"

"Yeah" Owen grinned, "Stop saying he. This is definitely a little girl and she looks perfectly formed."

Jack was gushing with delight, then his smile faded.

Ianto hadn't been here, he had done this without him.

Once again, he had something to apologise for when he got back.

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For Sandylee007 …just this one more today


	46. Chapter 46

46

Kevone was surrounded by a forest of pine trees, thick brush, and blackberries. He had spent the last hour stalking four men, the type of men whom they now called Scavengers, people considered to be cowards and who preyed upon the weak, sick, and helpless.

The Scavengers had stopped to investigate a crashed truck that Kevone was also interested in. Judging by the amount of plant growth in, on, and around the vehicle, Kevone estimated the wreck was at least three years old.

Kevone learned from his training that a good thing was usually left behind as a trap for others. As Kevone watched the men work, he wondered if the four men knew this as well. From as much noise as they were making tearing apart what was left of the truck, Kevone guessed they did not.

It was unusually hot in the forest and well over a hundred degrees. It had been raining a lot over the last few days so it was also sweltering, humid, and teeming with stinging insects. Kevone remembered life before the Zs. He told the children of the cities full of people and the streets clean and clear, instead of filled with Zs and debris. But now, nature had spent over five years of unrestricted growth and had slowly retaken the world.

The once great cities were ruined.

Settling in to wait, Kevone silently slipped off his backpack. He intended to let the Scavengers do all of the salvaging for him. He observed none of the Scavengers had any guns, only knives and crude machetes fashioned from scraps.

After they did all the hard work, he would get the drop on them and take whatever they had found. It was a good plan, at least until an insect flew into Kevone's nose and he sneezed.

The Scavengers froze in place. Knowing he had been exposed by the sound, Kevone peered out through the leaves of the fern. A cold sweat had broken out across his lean frame. He watched as the men raised their heads and looked around. The Scavenger nearest to Kevone looked directly at him. Shit, Kevone thought. Dressed in camouflage fatigues, Kevone knew he was well hidden, and while his clothes were well worn and often repaired, it was excellent protection from the brush and effective in blending him into the surroundings.

Still, Kevone cursed himself for scavenging so far from the colony.

In contrast to Kevone's attire, the four Scavengers were dressed in rags. They were filthy and scarred. Their heads were shaved and their bodies covered in tattoos. Only one of the men wore a shirt and boots while the others were naked from the waist up and barefoot. Their weapons hung on their hips by twine and rope. The four of them stood among the wreck and looked around.

The fully dressed man appeared to be the leader of the group.

"Who sneezed?" he asked. The other Scavengers shook their heads. The leader pointed at them.

"Spread out!" he commanded. "Look around and find out where that came from!"

Should I stay or should I run? Kevone thought. He only had five rounds of ammunition in his rifle and knew that two of those rounds had been reloaded with gunpowder concocted by his friend Chap back at the colony.

The only other weapons he carried were a dagger and a machete. He was a crack shot and the rifle was effective, but his experience shooting it had been limited because there was not enough ammunition to practice with.

He watched as the nearest of the men stepped off the wreck and started walking his way. Slowly and silently, he positioned the barrel of his rifle between two fern leaves, settled the butt of the weapon into his shoulder, and clicked the safety off with his thumb.

Kevone centered the Scavenger's face in the open sights of his rifle and watched to see if the man would continue walking in his direction. As he waited, Kevone scanned for the other men through his peripheral vision and realized that he could only locate two of them.

He cursed silently. The leader had disappeared from his view.

The nearest man continued to walk closer and had drawn a machete fashioned from scrap metal, cloth, and duct tape. It was crude, but still a deadly weapon, and as the Scavenger chopped at the bushes near him, Kevone's heart began to race. He tried to stay calm but he could not locate the fourth man, the leader. The man with the machete continued to come closer. He was near enough that if Kevone wanted to, if his mouth had not gone so dry, he could have spit on him.

Kevone held his breath and watched as the Scavenger peered through the brush, his face inches from the end of Kevone's rifle. Suddenly the man's eyes went wide and just as the Scavenger took a deep breath to yell an alarm, Kevone pulled the trigger.

The man was dead before his body hit the ground. Kevone's system flooded with so much adrenaline that he began to shake. Lack of food and the trek out here had sapped him but he knew those kids back at the colony were starving, he had to do something. Fighting to stay calm, he turned and lined up in his sights the next closest enemy. He aimed for the man's chest, not trusting his shaking hands enough to try for another headshot, and fired. The man fell. Kevone stood up and swept the rifle barrel to his left to aim at the third Scavenger. At the same time, he finally saw the leader as he came running from around the far side of the wreck.

The third man stood frozen in Kevone's gunsights.

"You have this," Kevone whispered.

With his heart slamming in his chest, Kevone pulled the trigger.

Click.

The weapon did not fire. Kevone groaned and suddenly needed to throw up.

"Get him!" the leader said and together the two men charged at Kevone. Screaming as they ran, they rushed forward with their weapons held high over their heads. Kevone's hands shook horribly as he tried to focus on staying calm. He ejected the misfired round out of the weapon and raised the rifle to fire again. Aiming at the closer of the two men, he pulled the trigger.

This time the round fired but his shot went wild. The bullet missed badly and pinged off of the truck. Fight or flight? Kevone asked himself. Two on one and almost out of ammunition. Weak.

He did not like his odds. He chose flight. It was time to run.

Leaving his backpack, Kevone ran into the forest in the direction of the colony. He knew he was miles from the settlement and way too far away for anyone to have heard the gunshots and send help. He would have to lose the Scavengers on his own. As he ran along a gushing stream, it began to rain. Kevone welcomed it, knowing it would make it harder for his pursuers to catch him.

Feeling confident, he sprinted through the trees. He jumped a log and came down hard on a root, turning his ankle. Pain exploded up his leg. Crashing forward, he fell hard in the mud and dropped his rifle.

Kevone cursed as he rolled over and sat up. He could hear the two men crashing through the brush behind him. Kevone scrambled through the mud for his rifle and got up to run again. As soon as he took his first step, he knew his ankle was bad.

Breathing hard, Kevone dove behind a tree and checked his rifle. One round left.

Sweat and rain poured down his face as Kevone leaned out from behind the tree and spotted the men. The Scavengers had momentarily lost him. The leader motioned for the other man to spread out.

Kevone tested his ankle again and flinched at the pain. He thought it was something he could limp home on, but there was no chance he could run. He leaned back behind the tree and closed his eyes.

Time to fight again, he thought.

He knew he wanted to kill the leader first, thinking the other would flee given the choice. Unfortunately, it was a long shot Kevone would not have wanted to take on the best of days. The leader was the furthest away, it was a downpour at dusk, and he had one questionable bullet.

Deciding to take the easier shot, Kevone took a deep breath, leaned out from behind the tree, and sighted the man closest to him.

"Hey!" Kevone barked.

Pausing for a fatal moment, the Scavenger turned and looked at Kevone. Kevone shot him in the chest. Hearing the shot, the leader immediately ran for cover and ducked behind a large rock. Out of bullets, Kevone dropped his rifle.

With his right hand he pulled his machete from its scabbard. With his left hand he drew a long bladed knife from his boot. Kevone stepped out from behind the tree and tried to hide he was favouring one of his ankles. Kevone did not want the remaining Scavenger to know he had the advantage.

Kevone tried to look intimidating but he shook from head to toe.

"Come on," he said, hoping his voice would not crack. It did not. The leader grinned maliciously as he stepped out into the open. Seeing his expression, Kevone knew he did not want anything to do with whatever the man had in mind for him. Kevone decided at that moment he would die before being taken captive.

The Scavenger pointed his machete at Kevone and charged holding the blade out in front of him like a spear. Kevone was terrified but held his ground. He had trained with his father, who had taught him when in a knife fight, you never stab, you only slice. His time in service paled in comparison to his early years back home in Hawaii.

Stabbing is a single final attack that leaves you vulnerable. A slice can be used to both attack and defend. The Scavenger had not been trained and ran forward, screaming as he splashed through the rain.

Kevone waited until the last moment and just as the man was upon him, he slipped to one side and blocked the Scavenger's weapon away with his machete.

The leader was off balance and had left his stomach exposed. Kevone saw the opportunity for a killing blow and sliced the Scavenger's belly open with his boot knife.

The leader dropped his weapon and crashed forward into the mud. He screamed in pain as blood gushed from his wound. Kevone picked up his rifle and stood over the man. The Scavenger began to cough blood and looked up just as Kevone brought the butt of the rifle down onto the man's face with a sickening crunch.

He put his weapons away and turned to go back and find his backpack. He started for the truck, the canned food he would take home to the colony. To the children who were waiting.

..

.

.

.

Kev lay away listening to the rain drum on the roof, the dream lingering as he rolled to his side.

If only he hadn't gone on that recon.

If only….

 _If wishes were horses than fools would ride._

He had. He had seen the smoke from the vantage point and he had returned to the destroyed colony. The dead bodies.

The Scavengers had been scouts for a larger team who had done their deadly work while he had been grabbing arse in the trees.

He was not going to make that mistake here.

He would defend his new colony, this new tribe.

He would do better this time.

.

.

.

Posting early as I will be travelling tomorrow and will be out of internet range xxx


	47. Chapter 47

47

"What do you mean he's not there!" Ianto's voice was tinny in the coms and Kev heard the hurt thrumming as Ianto huffed.

"Sorry, he said something about a lie down" Kev replied, "Mrs Harper was showing me around the security since I am fixated and then she had to go feed the bub. She's still disappointed that she couldn't come but the little one's fever is lessening as the tooth comes in. Definitely a tooth."

"I see" Ianto's voice was flat, "He knows this is our agreed time to…oh well. Never mind. I guess I am not needed at the moment."

Kev frowned as he swung in the chair, wondering how he could help and he found himself telling Ianto about his dream, when he was finished there was silence.

"Well" Ianto sighed softly, "That was a kick in the head."

"I found a few survivors who had run and hid, we buried them all and moved on" Kev said softly, "Scorched earth does not grow anything good. I never went back."

"You need to talk to Jack" Ianto said and Kev sighed as it came back to them and their silly spat, then he was surprised, "Jack suffered the loss of his men once. Total annihilation. He was the last man standing in a matter of seconds. Ask him, he has nightmares still about that day on the train. I think…I think it's different for me because I have suffered my whole life with loss and disappointment so I expect it but when you can win, when you can be great and then stumble it hurts more. The day the nightmares stop is the day you forgive yourself."

"For not being there to protect them" Kev sighed with agreement.

"No" Ianto replied gently, "For not being in that scorched earth with them."

Kev snorted as he saw that Ianto could see him clearly, even from this great distance.

After Ianto had signed off Kev turned to find Tosh in the doorway with a soft smile, "He is startling, isn't he."

"Yeah" Kev sighed, then watched Jack hurrying into the room to grab the coms and settle in a chair expectantly. "If you're here for Ianto you missed him. He waited for half an hour with me but had to go."

Jack slumped in the chair and to their horror he burst into tears.

"Steady on" Kev crooned as he comforted the man looking at Tosh with confusion as she got some tissues.

"I was mean to him and now when I can say sorry I sleep in" Jack wailed.

"Actually, he said to talk to you about my bad dreams" Kev tried changing the subject and Jack sniffled, then settled to blink at him like a big panda.

"He said something about a train?" Kev said, "To years ago I lost the colony I was a part of. I was hunting and came back to it totally destroyed. I dug over twenty graves before sundown. I…I dream about them. About what I found."

Jack nodded and then took a cleaning breath, "Lahore. Some of the troops under my command had drunkenly run over a little girl; a week later, while we were on a train travelling to our next port of call there was a tunnel, strange sounds and then…all of my men were dead, their mouths filled with petals."

"What?"

"Mara, an ancient race that chose children as their …I don't know. Anyway the young girl had been a Chosen One. They retaliated by killing them all." Jack sighed as he rubbed his face, "Some were good men who didn't deserve to die like that. But…I still hear those wings in the dark, still can't look at a red rose petal without remembering my men in that train."

"Shit" Kev grimaced, "I wouldn't want to meet them."

"Shame" Jack grinned, "Because they are here, all around us. They love Ianto and you may meet one eventually. Just don't piss them off. They are older than the mountains, so they say."

"Oh god, now you tell me" Kev grimaced with fake annoyance and Jack grinned as he saw why Ianto had trusted him so easily.

"So, Hawaiian?"

"Yeah. What part of the states are you from?" Kev asked.

"The year was 1909 in Lahore." Jack grinned, "Do you really think I'm from around here?"

Kev leaned back, "I thought that was a fucking myth. Like a woman's erogenous zone."

Jack roared with mirth as he really started to like this guy.

"I am old…like a couple hundred years give or take" Jack snorted, "I am immortal."

"Shit" Kev sighed, "So death comes calling to those you love."

Jack's smile faded as he really….really saw why Ianto like him.

"Yeah. I thought I was doomed to spend eternity on this rock alone, loving, losing…going on. Then came Ianto in amongst all this shit" Jack shrugged, "The gods were in a strange mood."

Kev grinned as he swung in his chair, "When are they not my friend. For I find the gods are playful, thoughtless and intensely stupid sometimes, others they are so bloody funny."

"Yeah" Jack laughed as he rubbed his bump, "Yeah. They do like to play."

"Especially Loki"

"Erg, don't get me started on him!" Jack muttered as he rose from the chair, now certain Ianto wasn't going to call back from the RT, "Pretty but such an ego!"

"I want to start patrolling the river bed" Kev called out as Jack paused in the doorway, "I had someone catch me that way once. Boats still float ya know."

Jack pointed at him and nodded, "Point!"

Yes, Jack saw what Ianto liked him.

He was a keeper.


	48. Chapter 48

48

As she ran down a narrow path through the woods, Tish felt very anxious. She had not been so far outside the Dome, especially during daylight hours, in a long time. Tish tried her best to keep control of her breathing. Just breathe in and out, in and out, she thought as she ran with her feet beating an even pace on the dirt. Knowing there could be danger all around, she tried her best to focus on the wilderness passing her by.

 _Hold it together, Tish, she thought. Stay alert._

She knew anything could be prowling through the woods. It simply was not wise to be outside the Dome. Tish never felt completely at ease in the open.

She knew worrying was not doing her any good, but she could still not shake the uneasiness which nagged at her. Reaching down, she shifted the .22 revolver she wore at her hip to a slightly more comfortable position. It was not much to defend herself with, but she knew it was better to have it than nothing at all.

At least she was a crack shot with it, having learned how to shoot from Mickey. He had made sure she knew how to use the weapon before he let her carry it, especially on dangerous messenger runs when the coms were down during upgrades.

Along with the pistol, Tish wore a pair of cargo pants, a t-shirt and her much coveted combat boots. The clothes were comfortable and protected her when running through nettles or blackberry brambles. Both were common hazards in the dense woodland which surrounded the Dome.

Feeling her muscles starting to tighten from the stress, Tish did her best to relax and tried to enjoy the view. The tightly packed trees, which had grown thick in the area through the years, were in all shades of green and were beautiful in the sunlight.

Tish only knew the names of a few of them, but she was able to pick out some of the obvious pines and the occasional maple. The variety of trees was nothing however compared to the dozens of mosses and ferns which made up the undergrowth of the woods. Tish noted how they covered nearly every inch of ground between the trees. Looking at it made Tish doubly thankful for the path, no matter how slight it may be. She had run this route before to reach Fall Back but she doubted she would have been able to remember the way without a trail.

She knew it was important to memorise this trail in the daylight so if there was ever a need to move above ground at night she would be confident.

Tish rounded a corner and her thoughts returned to the radio transmission. She had not been able to sleep much the night before after spending most of it in the Meeting Room as they went over the news that the palace seemed intact and tomorrow they were moving forward.

She had laid down but then tossed and turned thinking about the news. Most of the Dome was excited about the message, especially Jack, but it made Tish nervous. It was wonderful to hear there were possibly more to be taken out there, but Tish remembered all too well the last time her Dome had any real contact with outsiders.

 _Want if there were people in there? What did it mean for them?_

She puffed out a frustrated breath and tried to push the bad thoughts out of her head again.

 _Trees, greenery, beautiful sunlight. I have to focus on that, she thought. Stay alert._

Tish still had close to a mile to go to reach FB, had been running for a little over two miles and she had worked up a sweat. It was still early in the day but already getting hot. Tish did not want to admit the sweat was more because she was starting to tire than from the heat. Her duties as security usually kept her within the Dome boundaries running through the tunnels between homes.

She rarely ran so far out and had not done so lately.

Whenever she had run longer distances, it was usually with Ianto and it was more for exercise rather than for actual business. They had liked to go out right after nightfall and run laps just inside the Dome's perimeter. Tish still did it but not as regularly, mostly to keep in shape, but often to clear her head. She found the exercise to be soothing.

As was Ianto's presence.

 _Why am I stuck on these memories today? Tish thought._

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Tish pushed a stubborn strand of wiry black hair back into her bun, clearing her eyes to watch the path as she ran. The trail had widened and turned into a mixture of beaten dirt between cracked asphalt. Painted lines showed here and there.

She suspected the black substance was the only reason the woods had yet to completely take over the path. Tish could not help but find the sight of the old road strange.

Finding traces of the world before the Zs out in the wild always felt odd to her. Her father and mother often remarked on how surprised they were in the way plants continued to grow over everything, but the bits of paint and asphalt were the oddities to her.

A loud snap sounded from the woods behind Tish, breaking her train of thought.

For a moment, Tish felt like her heart stopped beating. Not pausing to look and see what made the noise, she kept running, fear pushing her into a desperate sprint.

Forgetting her gun, her mind screamed flight. She just knew she had to go and keep going as far and as fast as she could to get away from the danger. A thousand thoughts tumbled through her mind as to what the noise could possibly be.

 _Marauders? It has to be, she thought._

Finally finding her courage, she turned to look over her shoulder, expecting to see half a dozen scavengers with guns pointed in her direction.

Instead, Tish saw a doe watching her with big, innocent eyes, standing placidly on the path behind her. She slowed to a halt on the trail and groaned, feeling her face flush with embarrassment. Tish could not believe she had nearly lost her mind over a deer.

She leaned down and placed her hands on her knees, taking in deep breaths as she let the adrenaline run its course through her.

With a laugh at her silliness, Tish looked up the path to the edge of the woods. She could just see FB and the overgrown fields surrounding it. With one last glance back at the deer, Tish stood straight again, and despite still feeling foolish, set off at an even clip toward the shimmering Dome.

Kev sank further into the undergrowth as he watched her enter the secondary Dome.

Safe.

He settled to wait knowing within an hour she would do it again, heading back home.

He would be ready then too.

He would protect her.


	49. Chapter 49

49

Kev made two steps out the front door before he was blinded. It was a clear and beautiful morning and the sun was shining bright just above the horizon. Kev ducked back inside and rooted around looking for his new hat collection. He found a cap with a cartoon beaver on it and screwed it down on his head.

Much better Kev thought as he ventured back outside again. It was an amazing day and even with what remained of his nightmares it felt good to be alive.

He loved the idea of going on a run, but first, he had one last thing to do.

He made good time, but as he got close, he felt a pang of worry when he saw Tish was already packed and heading down the road toward the tunnels.

"Hey, Tish! Hold up," Kev called out as he jogged up to her, "Want some company for the morning checks?"

Her smile was a resounding affirmative and they took off at double time.

Poppy was in the storage room just off his workshop struggling with a problem he found in the building's solar battery array. He had set it up to store power from the panels on the roof, the same batteries that powered the lights in the Big House. Things had been acting a little glitchy during the meeting and he wanted to make sure nothing went wrong during the coms contact today.

The smell of rhododendron blossoms filled the air as Kitty crouched among the lush bushes in her makeshift blind outside the window of Tosh's up top Hub. The shrubs, plus the giant ferns which, blanketed the ground, hid her from any but the most observant passerby.

"Com check" Tosh said and the speakers crackled before Boomer answered.

"Com Check, check"

"How's it looking Boomer?" Jack leaned forward with open excitement as the soft laughter in the background was clearly Rhys.

"Well, Marley and Ianto are already skulking about in there, best wait a sec for me to click them on"

Sounds of tapping.

"Oh god, how many?" Ianto's voice was terse and clearly not in Wolfling form while Jack leaned forward even more as he caught Ianto's concern.

The screen flickered to life as Tosh activated the Vest Cams.

.

.

.

.

"Three…no. Ah, four" Mickey said as he knelt by the remains, "Looks like the poor buggers locked themselves in and forgot how to open the second doors or something."

"Not Grenadier uniforms" Ianto was staring intently at a body as he knelt beside Mickey "Looks like UNIT. I go, they came to maraud and got past the first doors thinking they were in and tripped the silent alarms, triggering the secondary shut down that rendered the pass codes they had for these doors obsolete."

"Shit. They trapped themselves" Mickey grimaced "Still, shitty way to die."

"Worse for this one" Martha kicked at a boot, "Looks like they tried to eat him."

"Zs?" Rhys asked from the doorway, "They turned?"

"No, fucking cannibalism" Ianto snarled "Fuck."

"Ewwwww" Rhys and Art both screwed their faces up as Billy stepped back from the doors.

"I think she has the tumblers set" he called out and then as the clickers started to crawl out of the doors they swung open to reveal Mecca.

"Wow" Billy sighed, "Beautiful."

"Yeah, wow later" Ianto snapped, "Load up and move out as soon as. I don't like the smell in there!"

Ianto walked in front of Mickey's flat jacket camera and the screen was filled with his face for a moment, Jack noting his prominent cheekbones and stubble hiding his fatigue. The bloodshot sunken eyes gave away the fact he still hadn't slept as he snarled orders.

"Ianto" Jack said softly, "All good there Tiger?"

Ianto swung and stared down the camera lens, his face unreadable as he seemed to consider the question.

"Who's asking" he finally replied, "My mate? Or my boss? I am fine Sir, doing my job Sir!"

"Ianto" Jack sighed, "I'm sorry for my flare up …I …I miss you and feel like shit."

"Good, that makes two of us" Ianto replied, his shoulders sagging, "You hurt me. I might have been an emotional wreak with Hope and Dean but I never rejected you! Never!"

Jack nodded morosely, then realized Ianto couldn't see, "I love you. Come home."

In the background Rhys started to shriek, a high pitched sound as he found something he really, really wanted and Mickey joined in. The camera was jumping up and down as Mickey rejoiced and Jack squinted to see what Rhys was running towards like ….OH MY GOD.

"Can't come home" Ianto replied dryly, "If that sound doesn't stop soon I will shoot Rhys and then Alice will kill me if I come home."

"Babe…is that …is that a tank?" Jack breathed with wonder.

Martha was already opening the hatch and then dropping inside as Mickey ran over, the image of Ianto leaving the screen and Jack felt a pang of regret.

"Ianto, stay safe love."

"Why? I'll heal, right?" came the emotionless reply, "I will see you later Jack."

Jack felt the sting as the term of endearment he had expected was not spoken.

Owen glanced at him and frowned as he noticed it as well.

Man, talk about major damage control needed here.

"Sorry I told you to go, sorry I hurt your feelings" Jack begged, "I love you. Please, forgive me."

"Gods" Ianto finally spoke down the coms, "Is that…fuck. Is that chocolate?"

Kitty rose from the bushes and ran off, hunting down the other children to tell them what she had heard.


	50. Chapter 50

50

"Chocolate?" Ifan sighed, "Are you sure? I remember that stuff."

Hope was listening with her arms folded and as the other children started buzzing with excitement she stepped closer to Kitty, "So, Taddy sounded sad?"

"I don't know what they were fighting about but he said something about rejection" she told Hope, "Your Dad was apologising for hurting his feelings and your Tad…he sounded really sad. Sort of flat, like when he's disappointed."

Hope nodded and chewed on her lip as she pondered what was happening.

"A tank!" Solomon sighed dreamily, "Think it has the big bullet things?"

"Yeah" Eric's eyes lit up at the thought, "Like in that movie where one blew up a bus!"

"Yeah" several boys and a couple of likeminded girls nodded with excitement as they thought of a possible demonstration, like a special occasion thing or something. Fireworks was a love as well, now the thought of something with that much firepower was overwhelming for the little soldiers.

Hope sat back and pondered some more, then went in search of her cousin.

"Mimi?"

Micha was sitting on the back step of the kitchen, peeling spuds and enjoying the warm day, her smile welcoming as ever.

"Taddy and Daddy are fighting" Hope said without preamble, no need here as Micha was one of her closest friends, as it should be.

Micha's knife stilled against her thumb, "Know what about?"

"No" Hope sat and picked up a spud and another knife to help, "But Kitty was listening and said Taddy sounded hurt. Said he was hurt by Daddy's words."

"Bum" Micha sighed softly as she started peeling again, "It's not good when they fight. We all feel it."

"Mimi?"

"Hmmmm?"

"Are you gonna bond with Michael?" Hope asked and Micha looked at her with surprise.

"I'm only a youngling yet sweetling" she smiled after she had considered the question, always honest with her, "He is my pick though, yes. One day I hope. I feel…happy around him. Silly, gushy. I am only young, still a child but I think one day, yes I shall."

"I choose Ifan" Hope said as she leaned back, "I think Deano has decided Bella but he is silly and a baby because he loves Frank too."

"You can love more than one, look at Bella's two dads. Aunty Martha is woman enough to have two. Why can't Dean have two wives? Or a wife and a husband although…I don't know. Frank? You know, I never thought about him as…well. That's unfair of me I guess."

Hope looked up at her cousin lovingly, "Of course you never saw him like that. He's Frank. But Dean doesn't see that. Maybe because he is more Taddy than Daddy and I am more Daddy than Taddy. I see problems, I see dangers. He sees hope, promise like Taddy. I don't know if anyone will ever love Frank like he deserves but …well, he has those bits like the rest of us. He is built the same so he would fit with a human, you know…like that."

"Ewwww" Micha flicked some peel at her, "Disgusting little trollop!"

Hope giggled as she flicked some back and then settled again, "I don't know if Frank would accept love anyway. He worries that no one really likes him."

"Of course we do" Micha frowned, used to Hope being so much older than her years, "I guess we forget to say so. Frank is special. Important. I love Frank as much as an of my little brothers and sisters. Frank will always be a little brother to me. It doesn't matter if he was born human or not, none of us are what once was. Frank is Frank. You are you and Uncle Ianto is Uncle Ianto. We are all special and we are all deserving of love."

Hope nodded and plucked at the grass by her feet, the spuds abandoned, "Good. Because I love Frank too. I never thought about the 'more than one' deal. Maybe I can marry Frank too. Have the two brothers, then there would be no jealously as they love each other too."

Micha laughed as she saw her Uncle Jack in the statement, wanting more.

Frank stood at the side of the building in total shock as he went over what he had just heard.

He had never considered love either, just the thought he might have a wife or husband one day was mind boggling and he wandered off to lay in the long grass and stare at the clouds.

His brain was overloading today and it was all too mad up here in the world. No wonder his kind lived in the tunnels. Papa said they liked the dark and the silence.

Now he knew why.

Totally maddening.


	51. Chapter 51

51

Ianto was standing watch as he felt a hand slide up his back and Martha stepped around him to look at the open doors.

"We could shut them." She offered.

"And if they don't open again we are as dead as those poor souls" Ianto replied softly, no malice in his voice.

"So" she settled next to him as she saw that he was right and more than slightly tired, "You and Jack made up yet?"

"No"

"Come on, you spoke to him tonight at least" she sighed and Ianto continued to stare into space. "Yan?"

"Logan and Owen needed to go over the medical supplies found here and then Tosh and Ebs took the rest of the time" Ianto shrugged, "I never heard his voice so…I don't even know if he bothered to turn up, after all he didn't last night."

"It's not good, the two of you at odds, not good for the baby either, you know that!" she scolded and he nodded.

"I know…I just…things have got on top of us. Giles, the floods, the cherry on top of that is the baby" Ianto scrubbed at his face, "I don't know. I can't handle it… the stress anymore, I just wanted my wee spot, me little piece of calm and…it seems like I will always be on the back foot."

"I'm sorry" she sighed, "It has been frantic hasn't it. We promised you wouldn't be dragged into things, we promised to let you have your retirement and now look at us."

"This is the big one" Ianto rose and started to walk away, relinquishing his watch to her, "After this I will not do another for at least a year, OK?"

"Agreed" Martha watched him slide off into the darkness of the bunker and felt shame as she remembered them all agreeing to let Ianto stay out things. It had almost cost him and Jack their relationship last time.

Ianto checked the kids, making sure they were asleep and chastising himself for still calling them that when they were young adults now, then he went to one of the bunk beds and lay on it for a while, knowing he wouldn't sleep but wanting them to see he was resting so they would stop fussing about it.

He knew it would be at least another day before they were ready, another night alone and as much as his heart ached to smell Jack next to him his anger still thrummed.

Early hours of the next morning he rose and went to see the vehicles, one full of medical, two more with food, a fourth with weaponry and a fifth with tech. Now the sixth was being loaded with clothing and the bibs and bobs they still needed. These transporters…troop carriers normally held twenty troops so they were going to be a boon for stock and such. Billy had strapped his bike to one of the tanks, Stephen to another as they traded up and today they were going to learn how to drive them, despite his worries he had agreed. They drove tractors … Dozers…what's a Tank?

They needed them.

Ianto had checked over what they were taking, knowing they could take more if he drove one too but he still hung onto the need to scout and protect like an old coat.

He stopped walking.

He hated that analogy, thinking of the Great Coat like the ones he had found and he glanced at the Transporter that now held those coats, loving tucked away for Jack in the several sizes so if he was still with child come the cold he would be able to wrap the coat around them both.

Both.

Father and child.

Ianto didn't think of himself in that, he was beginning to realise that things were changing and he wondered how things fitted now that Jack didn't need him to give life.

Jack …Jack loved him, but…

He was just so exhausted that the black dog was lurking, making his thoughts so damned negative. He hoped he could shake it off before returning home.

Ianto looked out over the ruined city, the overgrown, reclaimed by mother nature city and wondered if he was crumbling away too.

He looked up, watching a kit of pigeons as they flew in formation out and along the edge of the horizon, then he shook himself out of his stupidity and went back in to find breakfast underway.

Rhys and Mickey were laughing as they opened he beans and Ianto sighed softly.

"Bloody beans" he muttered and the men both laughed.

"You and the big guy talking again yet?" Rhys asked as he stirred the pot.

"Not yet, maybe tonight" Ianto shrugged, "I'm gonna go take a look at the city, the old towers."

Then Ianto was gone, transforming and running as he looked at the greenery that had pushed cobbles and found new ways to cover the buildings.

He knew Tosh would have loved to see this, to see the way mankind had been forgotten.

Her glee on seeing the tech through the cameras had almost split their eardrums as she squealled, then carefully instructed them how to dismantle it.

Tomorrow, they would go home tomorrow.

One more day here exploring.

Tomorrow they go home and he faces him.


	52. Chapter 52

52

It was mid afternoon and the children were sitting in the meadow, the wild flowers waving around them as they had their lesson outside, Alice sitting happily in one of the old armchairs that had been carried out.

She felt huge even though she knew she had so far to go, barely showing but quietly excited to have had to go select larger clothing already. Goddess, she felt like Mother Earth sitting there with all her babies and she grinned down as she asked them to start telling her a poem.

Kev was kneeling by one of the walls quietly listening as he watched his kids glow with delight and he knew he had lost them. They now lived in the 'collective' a big room below that was like a huge padded cell, covered in mattresses and bedding where any and sometimes all children slept together like wildlings. For some reason this pleased him as he knew it was pack, tribal to do this and they didn't need him anymore. He had done his duty and brought them home.

He was running his fingers over the smashed plate titling on the wall when a shadow fell over him and he looked up to find Tish standing there with two bottles of pop.

"Ginger beer?" she said offering one.

"You're shitting me!" he huffed, accepting it gleefully.

"Nainny has a bug, she has kept it alive for years and each spring she cultivates more" Tish sat on the low wall that formed the raised garden and he settled beside her.

"School time?" she asked as she noticed the calm for a change and then he watched a pack of dogs lope past calmly with what appeared to be the remains of a rugby ball in the jaws of the leader.

"Mental" he muttered affectionately.

"Yeah" she turned her head to watch the dogs as well, smiling softy, "They miss Ianto. He runs most mornings before dawn and they go with him. Me too if I can get up early enough. Sometimes he waits for me if he knows I want to talk about something."

"I can totally see him doing that" Kev nodded, then took a swig and made a noise as his head almost blew off.

"Yeah, she makes it so strong sometimes we get exploders."

Kev started to snigger as he got the image of exploding bottles and people running about with buckets trying to save the overly gassy pop, "Totally see that too. I watch them, the Joneses and Sean seems like the old man but Ianto…he's a horse of an entirely different colour."

She grinned at him, "He describes himself like that too!"

"Nainny, she has this…mischief in her that seems to go unnoticed but sometimes she pinches my butt!" Ken snorted and she choked on her drink as she got caught mid swig.

"Shit, you OK?" he patted her back as she gulped for air and she waved a hand embarrassingly.

Finally she had her breath back and most of her dignity, then he went and removed a pristine handkerchief and wiped at her chin.

Awwww, really?

She opened her mouth to tell him she was not a child when his lips slammed against hers and the world seems to fall away as she was catapulted up into the heavens, her eyes fluttering closed as they kissed.

Then he was the embarrassed one shuffling his feet as he muttered about taking a run around the perimeter.

"Kev" she said softly, "That…wow. Flattering."

He snorted, "Yeah but this is where you tell me you're taken and to stop following you about like one of those puppy dogs, right?"

"No" she giggled, "This is where I tell you I was starting to bust a boiler thinking you would never come close enough for that to happen that way you follow me and skulk about like Ianto does."

Kev glanced up and saw the amusement in her eyes, her hand sliding onto his thigh as she leaned in, "Also, it's been seven years since it all went to shit and apart from a few drunken moments I've been alone. It been so long I don't know which one of us gets tied up anymore."

She was propositioning him.

In broad daylight as dogs played footy and children chanted 'little Bo Peep' in the background, bees buzzed about and Jack was distantly bellowing that someone had taken his favourite hammer again…this goddess was offering herself and he was so tongue tied he could only blink.

"So?" she raised an eyebrow and he nodded meekly.

"Hay barn? That's where Ianto and Jack take daytime fun" she said as she rose, as if discussing a picnic, "Even have a mattress up there . Hope you're healed and had a good breakfast because I intend to use and abuse, mister!"

Kev was running, chasing her as she let out a whoop and several heads turned to watch the courting display, Jack leaning against a building with his hands rubbing the bump as he said softly to his unborn "Finally. Thought he was never getting his leg over there. Ianto will be so pleased."

Then Jack checked the time and swore softly, hurrying for Tosh and the control room below where she had set up since children had started asking how far Tanks can shoot things. He had to check the lunchtime readings with her.

Bloody Bartholomew, she was a wily one that kid.

Jack knew she would be a fine soldier one day.


	53. Chapter 53

53

Kev stood in the room and looked around as he tried to work out which of the children were his, the limbs and chaos made worse since the recon with the things the kids were 'stealing' from the recon barn and bringing back to fill the space.

He chose a seat next to Frank who was sitting calmly stroking the hair of a little black girl who appeared to be asleep with her head in his lap.

"Bella?" he asked and Frank nodded.

"So... Dean is here too?"

A claw pointed and he looked over to see his wee Chloe locked in battle with Dean over some hair ribbons, seems the pile was being divvied up.

"He's a good man" Kev said softly, "Making sure the girls all share."

Frank moaned softly and looked down at his task again and Kev smiled as he saw how precious the little thing's heart was.

Hope walked over and crouched, holding out her hand, "Four. I want two for Amilee."

Frank pulled two red and two yellow, leaving the two pale blue behind and she nodded, "Yeah. They'll match her new shoes. Right, of course."

"Amilee?" Kev asked and the little girl grinned, showing her father's glow.

"Matilda's granddaughter, my wee girl!" she pointed and he looked over to find a little pig sitting in one of the beds with a baseball cap on and little baby shoes on her trotters, trying to suck milkshake from a straw like it was no big deal.

Kev blinked.

"She's adopted" Hope said with a sniff, then rose to wander over leaving Kev gaping with amazement.

Dogs, cats and other assorted creatures filled the room but he hadn't seen the pig before. For some reason he felt quite OK with the deal, the pig seeming happy enough as well as her little tail wriggled with delight as little hands patted her in passing.

.

.

.

They stood staring morosely at the mess and Billy looked to his Taddy.

They were only three hours from home and this had to happen.

Typical.

The Transporter was sinking more as they stood considering and it was Mickey who spoke, "Look. We can drive around the bog, the others can get through, we can leave this one"

"It has the weapons in it" Ianto growled as he watched the road crumble more and the wheel wells sunk almost to the axle, "we can't leave those for the next people to use against us. Damnit."

"So, what do we do?" Mickey sighed.

"We go over to that copse of trees and cut as much as we can, we jack up the wheels, stuff shit under it, do the same with the back and then pull it out with a rope to Steve's tank" Rhys tried to reason, "It will take time and be bloody messy but we can get it out the old fashioned way."

It took a solid hour to get the foliage to the side of the road and under the jacked up wheels of the vehicle, then gently let the jacks down and they held their collective breath as the transporter moved forward slowly.

Cracking and sliding encouraged Rhys to slam his foot down and it slid dangerously, Billy yelling as he and the others tried to push it back into line.

It all happened in slow motion and Ianto knew it was going to hurt as he roared, pushing his son aside as he watched the vehicle's rear end swing violently and as Billy fell Ianto was yanking him back with his inhuman strength. Even as it meant he had no way to get out of the way himself and the Transporter lazily moved across his body as if he wasn't there.

Ianto's scream of pain joined by Billy's as it dawned on everyone who had been transfixed that this was bad.

Very bad.

.

.

.

.

.

Kev saw movement outside and he rose to ask if he could help, finding chaos as people raced along the tunnels in complete panic. He caught the arm of one….Hailey?

"Ianto's hurt" she panted as she looked up at him, "A transporter went over him, and it sounds bad!"

Kev was glad he had been running the last few days as he took off at top speed in the direction he had seen Owen heading and as he entered the large cavern he found Owen there with a large gurney that seemed to hover above the ground, medical equipment and a completely hysterical Captain that was being held back by several men as he roared and screamed with open fear.

The large vehicle called Rolling Thunder roared in at top speed, brakes slamming on as it drifted sideways, Rhys visible behind the wheel with his eyes wide with panic and the doors flew open, Billy falling out covered in blood and crying as he turned back to help lift down Ianto's prone body.

Fuck.

Kev felt the air leave the room as a limp arm flopped from Ianto's chest and Jack broke free of his friends.

Jack was screaming as he touched Ianto's damaged face, Owen pushing in to see and Marley was in full clicker mode as she tried to calm herself now they had caught up to her, her having flown ahead to gather everyone quicker than coms could have.

Once they had Ianto on the gurney Kev saw Ianto's face loll towards him and he felt sick as he saw the broken bones that must be under the crushed left side.

This was bad.

Oh by the Great Gods, this was so bad.

Kev grabbed the gurney, racing along with Owen as they headed for the medical area, Owen struggling to keep up as he yelled at Logan who was trying to tell him what the injuries were.

Kev didn't need to hear to know this was worse than him, worse than anyone wanted.

Kev had seen damage like this before.

Right before he shovelled the dirt over them.


	54. Chapter 54

54

Kev didn't know what to do to help so he stood outside the door trying to calm the young man, his terror fading to remorse as he repeated that it was his fault for not hearing his Tad calling his name to move.

"Shit happens" Kev crooned as he rubbed Billy's back, relieved when Marley arrived to relieve him of his charge and he was about to step away when Jack opened the door and looked directly at him.

"I need help" Jack said with more calm that Kev would have expected in the circumstances, "I need…I need to move him and he would kill me if I do anything that might put the pup in danger."

Kev found it odd that Jack referred to his baby as a pup but he supposed he did because Ianto did, it made sense in a way and he followed him into the room and stalled as he saw Ianto laying there naked. They had cut away his clothing to assess him and the vivid bruising was sickening to look at, making Kev swallow back bile.

 _He didn't have long for this verse._

"Can you carry him?" Jack asked and Kev nodded, carefully gathering the broken man and Owen was pulling Billy into the room and going off as he had just noticed the dislocated shoulder from Ianto's savage jerk on the arm.

They left the room and travelled along the tunnel system then to Kev's surprise Jack changed course and he slowed, looking at the tunnels he was running twice a day with Tish.

"Where are we going?" he asked, worried now that they were heading somewhere to leave Ianto to die in peace. He had a dog that had done that, dragged himself off to die.

"Shangri-La" Jack answered and Kev frowned.

"That's not on any maps."

"Because it's not…here" Jack said cryptically, "Look. It doesn't exist in this time or space, OK? I am about to show you the real bottom of the rabbit hole."

Kev decided to give Jack the benefit of the doubt and he followed him up into a tunnel that seemed to be somehow lighter in air and cooler too. The door swung as they neared and Kev followed Jack into a…

Well….shit.

Kev looked around at the paradise and felt the warm sun, smelt the lavender grass and saw the lush wilderness the lovely house was nestled in.

"Put him here, in the longer grass and step back, Just…just don't have a conniption, they might startle." Jack said as he waited and Kev knelt, gently lowering the limp man into the soft grass and he stroked his forehead before rising, sure now that they were watching him die.

The Mara were totally unexpected and Kev struggled to breathe as the creatures swarmed their Wolfling and Jack pulled Kev over to some stumps.

"Let them work, he's theirs too." Jack sighed, then they waited.

Kev started awake, unaware he had fallen asleep as Jack rose to move to the spot where Ianto had lain and Kev looked at the furs and leaves covering him with interest.

Jack leaned in and kissed Ianto with as much as he could give, knowing Ianto would go mental if he gave too much as the pup was more precious.

The glow hurt Kev's eyes and he leaned forward, his large forearms settling on his thighs and he watched the air crackle around them as the golden light made a bubble, then it evaporated like dust dispersing.

Jack stroked the smooth cheek and whispered soft words as Ianto stirred, the furs and leaves falling away as Ianto woke.

"Billy?" Ianto croaked, "Is he OK?"

"You yanked him back hard enough to dislocate his shoulder" Jack said fondly, "Owen fixed it, he's fine."

"Oh gods" Ianto swallowed, his adams apple bobbing, "Sit me up, my back hurts Cariad."

Jack eased Ianto up and the furs and leaves fell away, flowers and berries rolling as well and the patchwork quilt was gone, showing the pristine pale skin as Ianto stretched and yawned.

"Jesus" Kev breathed, "He…shit. He's OK?"

"He's fine" Jack grinned, "The Mara healed what they could and I did the rest with my special gift as well. He will be tender for a while, his insides were badly squished."

Squished, is that a medical term Sir?" Ianto croaked as he grimaced and Jack reached for the water left conveniently in a rounded stone cup.

"Yes, highly technical term, in all the best books" Jack said in a posh voice, then his face softened, "Baby, I am so sorry. For everything. I can't just blame hormones either, I …I was horrible to turn away from you. I'm sorry."

"Hey, let's agree it was a douche bag move and let it go, yeah?" Ianto smiled lovingly, "Not the first time you broke my heart, not the last and I know you never mean it that way. Hurting me, hurts you too. I know that you stupid man."

"That's me, just another stupid ape" Jack said and Ianto snorted with mirth as he settled against him.

Kev frowned as he wondered what the joke was, seeing both men finding the 'ape' comment funny.

Kev settled against the stump and watched as Jack pulled his coat around Ianto's shoulders and helped him stand, then Ianto did some wobbly walking to the house and with each step he seemed to grow stronger.

This is not Alice in Wonderland, not the Wizard of Oz either.

This is something much, much better.

This was the fucking Matrix!

.

.

.

.

.

You lot are all so bloody bossy! Lucky I love you, you know I love my cliffies!


	55. Chapter 55

55

Over the next few days Kev spent time with Ianto, watching him move gingerly in the first day, carefully on the second and on the third day he walked with him the length of the tunnel system to Holdfast where they were met by excited children all talking at once, pulling at their arms.

Frank sat on a little motorbike waiting, his helmet shoved back as his goggles gleamed in the sunlight and Ianto started to giggle as Ifan roared up on a larger model and stopped next to his little brother, "Come on Frank, I'll race ya, ya snivelly dog!"

Frank snarled and turned the small switch as the four wheeler roared to life, the two boys speeding off as Dean pointed excitedly at the Tank.

It sat in the middle of Holdfast, like some weird garden ornament and the large track farrows dug in the lawn showed where it had come from the barn, across the road, through the gardenias and then the marigolds and taken a hit…or a squash I suppose it the correct term...to rest on top of what had been a statue of some weird thing the kids called a dog. They had created it out of paper ache and the next rains were gonna destroy it anyway but still…the tank did look impressive.

And fucking destructive as Ianto looked once again at the chaos it had caused in its wake.

"Cariad?" Ianto called softly, "How did you get in there?"

"Told you he would know what you were doing" Mickey's voice echoed.

A head popped up and Ianto was not surprised to see Jack grinning at them, "A back hatch Holdfast. I didn't climb, honest!"

"And you wonder why I prefer to run with dogs" Ianto muttered quietly and Kev snorted with mirth.

"Cariad, is it safe? I mean, is there some sort of safety or something?" Ianto asked as Jack disappeared, then there was a clunking noise and a portion of the back swung out to reveal it was a door, Jack clambering out, holding his belly awkwardly.

"Babe, it's a tank. Of course there is no safety switch. Just aim…boom…move on!" Jack said, his hands doing motions as he spoke and gushed ever so slightly…well…a lot.

"So, the kids can't get in!" Ianto said and Jack frowned again, "No, don't' tell me. It's a tank. It doesn't have central locking."

Jack grinned as Mickey's arm appeared, slapping at his shoulder.

"So…you plonk it there in my garden, no safety procedures in place and our daughter has just climbed in while you're looking at me" Ianto said calmly.

"Huh?" Jack swung to peer inside as the Tank made a whirring noise and the turret swung. Mickey made a weird barking noise of alarm and Hope's faint laugher was heard in reply.

"Is it loaded?" Ianto asked with the same level of calm, "Because she is about to torpedo the school or whatever."

"Fuck! Mouse, grab the…" Jack shot back inside as Kev laughed softly, pointing as he struggled to speak and Ianto looked up to see Dean and Bella on top, Dean having found a helmet that kept slipping off.

Bella was looking down at her father with interest through the gunner's turret and Ianto wondered how long it would be before she dropped on top of him like a spider monkey.

"Oh gods" Ianto sighed, "We've created monsters."

Kev bent over as he roared with mirth and faint scolding inside was dimly heard, muffled by the metal and eventually Hope stomped back out turning back to scream, "Then don't bloody tell me!"

She stormed off and Ianto watched Jack pour himself out again.

"Tell her what?"

"She was pushing buttons, like …erg..erg…erg.." Jack made motions like a crazed pianist or something and Ianto snorted softly as Kev sat on the ground, his knees weak from laughter, "She was almost to the fire controls. Fuck, what if she works out the sequence?"

"So I suggest we remove the weaponry, put the ammo somewhere easily assessable in time of crisis but not where they can get it" Ianto said with a slow blink, fucking calm as a cucumber and Jack grunted, then swung and clambered back inside.

"Fuck he's a big kid" Kev panted though his tears.

"Yep" Ianto sighed as he sat on a stump, "And it's not gonna change. He's hundreds of years old so it's pretty set that he's a bugger. He's been waiting ages to play with it. Far too excited to be reasonable right now, especially with Mickey in there egging him on."

"You face" Kev pointed still chortling, "Like the fucking Mona Lisa."

"If I show any emotion he will grab onto it" Ianto explained, "His hormones are everywhere. He will either get pissy and want to defend his new toy or he will reject it to please me. Best act like it's no big deal either way and he will feel happy playing…down."

Ianto dropped, pulling Kev with him as a gun suddenly fired a round, shattering a pot of colour on the nearby wall.

"FUCK" was roared inside the tank and both men popped their heads up to stare at the broken pot.

"Right, maybe now is when I tell him I know how to remove the ordinance" Kev stumbled to his feet, and walked over to tap on the machine, "excuse me? Permission to come aboard Captain."

The laugher was faint and Ianto smiled as he watched Kev get included as Mickey and Jack let him play, big kids in an unusual fort.

Whatever.


	56. Chapter 56

56

Everyone was eating, enjoying the evening meal and the company as the large table heaved with food, family…life.

Kev cleared his throat and rose, stopping the rumble of conversation immediately as all turned to watch.

"I want to start by thanking all of you for being so welcoming and friendly" he said as he looked around the table, "It has been a long time since I felt family around me. I thought, after all this happened that I would never feel it again. I mourned my family, mourned the loss of belonging and then got on with survival. I thought this would be the way of this new world."

Kev stopped to clear his throat again, nervous. Ianto had placed his fork down to listen and Tosh handed him Poppy and a bottle as she took her plate from Owen to eat. Ianto leaned back with the baby and nodded for Kev to go on.

"Then I met you lot, you crazy, dysfunctional huge and bloody wonderful people" his face split into to a grin that was mirrored by all watching, "I … I feel family around me and I don't know what to do. It is more than I asked the gods for, more than I feel I deserve and I am grateful. Thank you."

Several people called out and there were some whistles as he nervously raised his glass and cleared his throat once again, Ianto realizing this was a punctuation of sorts.

"I propose a toast" Kev raised his glass and everyone reached for their own, joining him. "Here's to tomorrow. Closer than ever before and brighter than yesterday!"

"Here, here!" people roared, clapping and stomping feet as they welcomed his speech and he sat once more, looking thoroughly embarrassed with himself.

Ianto looked to Jack who rose to reply and now there was a hush as he stretched, the bump staining out from under the shirt.

"Bugger, I popped again" Jack sighed and people giggled as he patted his belly lovingly.

"Right. Kev. Thank you for the kids first and foremost, we appeared to need more of those" Jack said imperiously and more giggling ensured. "Er, right. So. Thank you for helping us when we needed you, thank you most of all for stepping in front of my beautiful son and taking a bullet for him and not least of all, thank you for taking Tish on, she was starting to worry me the way she was eyeing up the bull."

Tish shrieked as she swung across the table at him and he leapt back screaming, "Baby on board, can't hit me hah ha ha!"

"You shit of a man!" she roared, "I don't know how Ianto gets by without cutting your throat in your sleep sometimes!"

"Why do you think I got all those sets of sheets?" Ianto asked blandly and more laugher as Jack looked insulted.

"Well, I for one am glad to see the union" Poppy boomed from the lead of the table, "Tish was waiting for the right man and she chose well. He makes a great addition to the family."

Kev grinned as more cheers rang out and Ianto shifted in his chair uncomfortably, then hnded the baby to Jack and rose.

"We have a lot of work to do before we can all settle" Ianto said calmly, "The recon has been completed, the barn is heaving with goodies and in the next few months there is plenty of work to do. Please remember to call in to see Fay, she is feeling quite left out as the baby nears."

"Any day now" Owen called out gleefully, "Before the weekend I reckon."

Ianto nodded, "Also, I have noticed some of the kids are pilfering again, I know we are raising pirates but please make sure they can't reach anything dangerous. I found a box of matches on one earlier and I was informed that they have candles and such, wanting a little night playtime. I would like everyone to be mindful of the wee ones on bikes too, we have several small four wheelers belting about with the little ones on board and although I am trying not to have conniptions each time I see one of mine on one I know we need them to be self reliant and I also know you have all noticed the garden ornament my Cariad planted in the square."

Laughter and clapping.

"The babes are climbing all over it, we have removed all dangerous stuff from inside, thanks to Kev, and nothing on there can hurt them they can still fall off" he raised his hands as people stated to call out, "I know, I know I'm a worry wart but I can't help it. The image of a broken skull freaks me out so tomorrow I want all capable hands helping lay woodchips and straw around the base."

Several hands shot up and he nodded, going to sit but then he hesitated and rose once more, "One more thing."

Everyone leaned forward with interest.

"I am going to sleep like the dead after I leave here. I don't care if the world ends I want tomorrow off. My husband and I have air to clear and apologies to make. I want the day to us. I don't think that's being greedy, one day."

The silence was deafening as everyone nodded and looked at their plates.

They had asked a lot already, hadn't they.

Ianto deserved a day to himself…and more.


	57. Chapter 57

57

Kev's place was amazing, the little bit Tish saw of it as she was half carried down the hallway. He turned on his bedroom light before dimming the glare just a bit.

"There. I want to see you." The gravel in his voice made her shiver.

"I want to see you too."

Wrapping his arms around her, he took her mouth with his tongue then teeth as he pulled on her lower lip. He leaned down and licked her neck, stopping at the pulse point before capturing the lobe of her ear.

"Have I told you that I love this dress," he said as he unzipped it, "even better on the floor?"

Within seconds, it was pooled around her feet, and she was standing in front of him in only tiny lace panties and shoes. He stared at her until she blushed. "Beautiful."

As his lips covered hers again, she opened for him, welcoming his tongue, greeting it with hers. He bent down and ground into her with an urgency that was hedonistic and raw, his pubic bone creating delicious friction on her clit. She cried into his mouth as he deepened the kiss.

His lips crushed hers, seeking and searching, punishing and soothing all at once. Their tongues met for a dance as ageless as time. Tish sucked on his, and he moaned, the rumble reverberating down her body. She loved that she could affect him too.

It made her brave.

With a pounding heart, she pushed his jacket from his shoulders, then worked the buttons of his shirt. It was soon gone, and she could feel his skin. Warmth and rippling muscle. All man under her fingertips.

He worked the zipper of his pants, but she pushed his fingers away. "mine."

He stepped out of his shoes as the pants and belt joined the puddle of clothes.

His erection tented his boxers, and she wanted to feel him, taste him. She began to sink to her knees, taking his boxers down with her, when he stopped her, yanking her up and tossing her onto the bed.

Like a predatory animal, he climbed up her body, licking his way up her legs and belly, stopping to circle each breast before again finding her mouth. He kissed her hard, holding her hands above her head. "Tell her what you want."

Where did she start?

She licked her lips. "Taste you."

He growled and slid the rest of the way up her body until he was planting a knee on each side of her head. He stroked himself just inches from her face. "You want this?"

She nodded.

"Tell her."

"I want your cock."

"Where?"

He was going to make her say it. "In my mouth."

One side of his mouth lifted, and with a last long stroke, he lowered his length to feed her.

When he pressed the tip to her lips, she opened them gladly, eager to accept his offer. His taste exploded on her tongue as he pulsed very gently in and out. She grabbed his ass, pulling him harder into her, wanting more.

Refusing to gag, she took him into her throat, looking up into his eyes as he watched from above. His face was strained as he battled to not hurt her, giving her short intervals to breathe.

She didn't want to breathe.

She wanted him.

All of him.

And nearly cried out when he pulled away.

Immediately, she missed the weight of him on her tongue, but his cock was soon replaced with his lips.

"You're driving me crazy," he whispered. "I don't want to come yet. I want this to last."

His hand traveled to her breast to play with a nipple, squeezing just hard enough for her to feel it. She groaned, and he squeezed again. "Pain enhances the pleasure."

She believed him.

His fingers were replaced by his lips, his teeth, as he moved back down her body. When he came to her panties, she wailed as tongue and teeth pressed through the material, the lacy barrier increasing the sensations on her swollen clitoris. Her hand found his hair, pulling him closer, harder.

Needing no further urging, he sat back on his knees and reached for the top of her panties.

"I've been waiting so long to see this," he said as he peeled them down her legs. "Beautiful. So smooth."

When they were gone, he settled between her thighs and her breathing picked up speed. A small flick of his tongue nearly sent her over the edge.

"Sensitive. I love that."

Sliding his hands under her arse, he lifted her. Their eyes met as he opened her with his thumbs and blew on her heated sex. Before she could even react, he dove deep, his tongue blazing a trail down her welcoming slit.

"God, you taste so good. So wet for her already."

When she didn't think she could take it any longer, his tongue plunged inside her, his teeth scraping her outer lips. One finger, then two invaded her, making her groan. Pleasure exploded as his teeth grazed her clitoris, his tongue sinking deeper into her folds. I moaned and cried out his name, clutching the bed covers, anything to ground her. He licked and sucked and bit, eating her alive.

He pumped his fingers, hard and deep, twisting them as he did.

She was there, so close to the edge, every cell inside her contracted. He curled his fingers, and her eyes rolled back in her head.

"Feel good?" he asked, and she hoped he didn't expect an answer. He stroked her there again, and she shuddered. "Ready to come?"

"Yes. Please." The words came out in pants.

The flat of his tongue washed over her clit as his fingers began to move. She clutched at his hair, her nails digging into his scalp. He didn't stop, only increased the intensity. The pressure. Everything.

Writhing, she was torn between wanting him to stop and wanting more when she exploded, screaming his name.

Trying to control her trembling body, she was vaguely aware of his hard cock nudging her entrance.

"Open your eyes Gorgeous."

She obeyed and stared up into his chocolate ones as the tip of his cock speared into her. She arched against the burn of being stretched but didn't close her eyes as her body absorbed him inch by inch. When he was fully seated, he murmured, "You are so precious, feel so good," and began to move.

His strokes were hard and powerful as their bodies pounded together. She was on fire, felt branded as they melted into one. His muscles worked under her fingers as she held on for dear life.

As he pounded into her, she was at his mercy. Bound by him. To him. He snapped his hips, withdrawing just enough that she felt the loss of him before filling her again in a soul shattering thrust.

There was a hard edge to Kev's hunger right now. A deep, insatiable need that she felt down inside her soul.

She loved it. Loved the violent need driving him into her body as he sought his own release inside her.

She loved the way her breasts rocked on her chest and the ache in her hips as she clamped her legs around his waist.

Without warning, he pulled out and flipped her over, pulling her hips up until she was on her knees before thrusting inside her again. Gripping her by the back of the neck, he pushed down until her cheek was against the bed. He held her there as he ground into her over and over.

Curling her fingers into the sheets, she surrendered to all he was doing to her. Surrendered to everything she felt. Everything he was doing. Everything she was feeling. It was all so good.  
He fucked her mercilessly until she was crying with the intensity from being driven from one climax to another. It was insane. Wild. Primitive.

She loved it.

The warmth of his sweat dripped down on her, and she pushed up onto her hands until her back was connected with his front. His arms encircled her waist and held her still as he thrust up into her, his mouth sucking the lobe of her ear then her neck.

He shifted them again, and she was on top, glad to be able to see his face. His eyes blazed as she rode him, grinding her clit into him hard. His fingers pinched her nipples as sheset a new pace, driving down over and over.

"Lean back," he instructed, and she did, changing the angle and giving him better access to her clit. She keened, unsure if she could survive another orgasm, but knew that she had no choice.

And when she came one last time, he finally found his own release.

The night air cooled their wet skin as they lay satiated and sweaty, too tired to even speak.

There was no need to.

It had been perfect.


	58. Chapter 58

58

"One night, we found a warehouse," began Mickey as he and Kev worked on the vehicle that would be the new transport for the 3Ms.

"We'd been walking for days. Andy was tired, although he didn't want to admit it. He's a good boy. It's strange – although the Zs were utterly outside of my or anyone's, control, I can't help feeling guilty. As if he and Martha having to go through all this were my fault. It's silly, but there it is."

After a pause, he continued, "I thought we'd be able to stay in Tonbridge. They've secured the place well. But when we got there, it was in lock-down. The garrison troops pointed their rifles at us. We tried to explain we were not sick, nor did we intend to cause any trouble. They fired a warning shot. It landed but a metre from Martha, and left a tiny hole in the dirt. It hurts, for a man, for a _Husband_ , to be vulnerable. To not be able to stand up for one's self and family. There were others there, too. No one was being let in. It must have been there that I heard of Bately, and how they were doing decently well. Yes, I remember now. It was an old man. His shoes were in tatters, he could hardly walk. Andy offered to give him his own. I wouldn't have allowed it, but I felt proud. His offer was sincere. The old man was touched. He refused the shoes, and told me to 'take your young lad and your missus down to Bately. They're handling things all right, over there.' Then, he simply walked off, dragging his feet in the dirt. He looked so frail."

Kev leaned back to listen as Mickey smiled affectionately when speaking of the man who rivalled his wife's affections like he was his son or little brother.

"As we walked away, Andy looked over his shoulder, back towards the old man. I noticed he had tears in his eyes. We didn't talk about it. We rarely discuss this sort of thing. In any case, we left Tonbridge and headed south-east along the A21. We stayed away from the road itself. There's nowhere to hide along it. We followed side roads and crossed fields. In different circumstances, it would have been a very pleasant trek. The second night, we found a small clearing amidst the cobnut trees, somewhere near Matfield. We lay our sleeping bags on the ground, and stared up at the sky. It looked like the shattered surface of some old mirror, criss-crossed by the trees' branches. We slept better than we had in months. But when we woke up, most of our food was gone. I think it must've been a fox."

Kev nodded as he agreed, a dog would have wanted companionship.

"Anyway, by the time we came across the warehouse – it was just outside of Ashford – we were starving. We'd heard bad stories about Ashford, but I hoped we might find some food. When we got there, it started pouring; it was that thick, muddy rain we get from time to time since the Zs. It was quite miserable. Then we found the warehouse, _Charlie's_ _Auto Spares_. It was a large, rusty old thing. We made sure nobody was about, and crept inside," Mickey stopped, taking a shaky breath. "The spares were gone, except for some random bits and bobs on the dusty floor. Along the side walls, tall, wide shelves reached all the way up to the ceiling. It was very quiet, in there. I told Andy to wait, and I walked over to the opposite end of the warehouse. Martha swept the roof and checked the outer doors. There was another, smaller entrance, here. I peeked outside. This door was hidden behind a small wall and heaps of rotting cardboard boxes. That was good. Having two exits, one of which concealed, can be handy if you have to make a run for it. Then, Andy called out. There was something in his voice that made me shudder. I turned and ran towards him."

"Zs?" Kev whispered with wide eyes.

"In one of the boxes, on the shelves, was tin upon tin of canned food. Soups, beans, fruit salads, you name it. There it all was, each one of them like a little, glorious gift from God. We never even thought of asking ourselves why they might be there. Too green to know someone must have died trying to get here as well. Their bolthole, ours now," Mickey said with a bitter smile.

"I set about preparing our sleeping area while Andy opened the tins. I lay the sleeping bags out on one of the lower shelves and Martha took first watch. I placed boxes all around them, in what I thought would appear like a random layout, to ensure we wouldn't be visible from either entrance. We sat there, crossed legged on our sleeping bags, like children on a camping holiday, the treasured tins resting on our heels, as we scooped up their contents with our bare hands. We laughed as we ate. It's strange, what satisfying your basic instincts can do to you. Couldn't stop giggling." Mickey snorted as he rubbed his eyes "It was food I'd never even have considered buying at the supermarket before the Zs. Rubbish. But I've never enjoyed a meal as much as that one. Met up with her parents the next day, heading in the same direction. Go figure. Something had made us stop there, something had helped us … Ianto likes to say it is the old gods moving us like chess pieces, sometimes I tend to agree."

"Hello boys" Ianto's Welsh tones purred as he entered as if Mickey had called him by speaking his name, "After a cart or …oooo, I'll take the little Cat. Lovely."

They watched Ianto choose a small all-terrain tracked vehicle that was for cross country hauling with a flat decked back, pulling out and calling over his shoulder, "Taking the missus out for dinner and a movie. Popcorn if he's lucky!"

They laughed and waved as they watched it crawl gently up the street, pleased he had chosen something sedate for a lovely summer afternoon instead of the usual speed.

"I remember my first deer" Kev said softly, "I ate some raw I was so hungry then I was violently ill as I knew I must look like a Z. I used to eat it raw with my family when hunting, but that was then and this is now. Different world, different people. I will never eat raw meat again."

Both men nodded and went back to work, their memories of a distant world long gone lingering like a thick smoke.


	59. Chapter 59

59

"Look, I'll only talk to you about this once, OK?" Owen faced Kev with a pained look, "Ianto and Jack were sort of an item before this all kicked off. They were sort of…still trying to work out exactly what they were. Then it all went arse up and we would up in this shit storm. Ianto was a natural. He just herded us up and moved us to safety. I was jealous and had an argument with Ianto while we were patrolling fences and he got bit. We waited for him to turn. Two days. Three days. Four days. We thought he had and was one of those slow movers. Jack couldn't put him down and we were all fighting. We kept him like a pet in a cage. When we finally realised he hadn't turned and was immune to the bites Jack knew for sure that he loved him and I knew I was a first class shit."

"And then he was…the Wolf thing"

"Wolfling" Owen sighed, "Like a side effect or…an awakening?"

"So this fight they seem to be having that is not a fight, is normal?" Kev asked with confusion.

"Every now and then one of them pisses the other off" Owen shrugged, "They have these big barneys, usually followed by Ianto going sulky and Jack going shouty. Then they make up. Never fun when Dad and Tad fight huh?"

Kev shook his head, at least comforted in the fact they always made up.

Owen seemed certain.

.

.

.

.

Ianto pulled up to the back door of the Big House where Jack was waiting with a picnic basket. Jack climbed in and they slowly growled off across the field and the Dome shimmered away to allow their exit into the Forbidden Zone where the grass was so long even the Cat would be hidden from view.

Ianto carefully stomped them a wee clearing and then laid the blanket, settling as Jack opened the containers of food and they ate, not a feast but a picking, grazing kind of meal. Both men were nervous and unable to be the first to speak so they sat and felt the warmth of the sun.

Finally, Jack knew it had to be him, "I wanted to say sorry. A real sorry, not the usual moving on, get over it kinda sorry. These hormones are no excuse and I always seem to hurt you. I never want to."

"I know Cariad" Ianto sighed, "I think there will never be a time where we can know each other's mind completely. For all the things we know and feel about each other, there will be the occasional brain fart from one of us."

"The important thing is that we don't walk away" Jack was almost begging and tried to keep his face normal, "Don't leave me, Kay?"

"Leave you?" Ianto looked up with confusion, "Why would I do that? I love the bones of you, ya insufferable bastard."

Jack grinned as Ianto laid back and closed his eyes, dismissing the rest of the food so Jack packed it away and placed the basket to one side before he settled next to Ianto. The warm sun, the smell of the crushed grass, the breeze and the distant sound of the river lulled both men and they rolled instinctively to hold each other as they settled for a snooze.

"If one of those Zs pops up I will fucking scream" Jack muttered, "Would be just the luck."

Ianto giggled as he agreed and he stroked Jack's cheek, "How many times must I tell you, I love you. I forgive you. I will never leave you. I want to kill you but resist?"

"Just one more time" Jack whispered, "always just one more time."

"I'll ask Bonnie about getting a T-shirt made" Ianto giggled affectionately, "I forgive you, in big letters across my heart."

Jack laughed softly as he held his beloved tight.

Anything that related to him and that wonderful heart would be fine.

They drifted, content in their world.


	60. Chapter 60

60

Fourteen-year-old Michael stood shivering in the dark.

With one hand, he held the trembling wrist belonging to the love of his brief, unfortunate life. In the other, a butcher's knife.

The creature, the Zombie, was somewhere close. Too close.

Micha, buried her face in his shoulder.

"Michael… I'm _scared_ ," she whispered. Her body was shaking. Despite his own fear, he couldn't help notice the cold tip of her nose against his thin neck. She was so young, so vulnerable. They both were.

"I know. It's okay. We need to be quiet." He hoped he sounded brave and confident, capable of defending her. They were words he thought a grown-up might utter – one willing to protect them, perhaps.

Michael freed her wrist, and passed an arm around her shoulder, embracing her. The opposite worlds of love and death, balanced on his brave, but oh-so-narrow shoulders.

They had entered the tunnel system two hours ago. The cave entrance had seemed safe for their secret picnic. It had seemed safe. Thick woods surrounding it, and a small entrance partly concealed by thorny shrubbery. Its deep, dark recesses would provide some degree of safety.

"Do you like it here?" he had asked.

Micha had shrugged with a smile. A sad smile. _It'll have to do._

Although Zombies generally travelled in packs, Michael believed there was only one of them in the cave. He desperately hoped so. His eyes darted from left to right, scanning the dark cave, trying to spot a movement, trying to catch a glimpse of their hunter.

He again lamented that he had not brought a sidearm, only allowed a gun when on duty. The knife would have to do.

Then, the creature growled.

It was a male and still fresh. They were the worst. Micha tightened her embrace around him. He tightened his grip around the knife. The thing moved. They heard the faint crackling of stones and pebbles beneath its feet.

Then he saw it.

A skinny, hunched silhouette crawling towards them.

Michael had to think fast. The thing had entered the cave roughly twenty seconds ago.

Odds were that its vision was still adapting to the dark, and it hadn't spotted them yet. But it was only a matter of seconds. Michael's chance, his only chance, was _now_.

If he had had time to consider their situation, to fully appreciate the risk, Michael would have likely cried. But there was no time. He released himself from Micha's embrace. She resisted, at first. With a delicate, but deliberate movement, he guided her extended arm away from him. Without speaking, he gently pushed her downwards, until she was crouching on the cold, stone ground. He held his fingertips on her shoulder for an instant, _stay here_. Michael peered down at her. _This might be the last time I stand by her side_.

The thought tortured him. Before making his move, he silently mouthed three words in her direction. She'd never hear them, but he felt he had to.

 _I. Love. You._

Then he turned. He cleared his mind, adrenaline pumping through his veins. The thing had stopped. It was looking around, trying to find them.

Michael crept forward, knife raised. He reached down quietly, and picked a pebble off the ground. Michael stopped. The thing was only about ten feet away now. Holding his breath, he raised an arm, and flung the pebble as hard as he could towards the opposite end of the cave. It struck the wall with a soft thud. The creature instantly turned towards the sound.

Now it had its back to Michael. With a grimace distorting his lips, the boy sucked in a deep breath.

And attacked.

He stabbed the creature in the shoulder, the blade tearing into its skin. He drew the knife back out as fast as he could, ready to strike again.

The Zombie turned to confront him. His movements were fierce, but clumsy. Michael caught a glimpse of its face, only inches away from his own. He looked like all the rest of them – bloated lips, toothless gums, and pale, rotting skin. The sinister shadow of what was once a man.

The boy breathed in the creature's sickening stench of death. He contracted the muscles in his stomach, trying hard not to throw up. He raised his arm to strike again. This time, he aimed for the neck.

But, at the last instant, the creature grabbed his arm and twisted it. Hard.

Michael tried hard to resist, to get rid of the thing's hold on him. But he couldn't. The pain was too strong. Finally, he had to let go of the knife. It dropped to the ground.

It felt like his heart had, too.

Michael struggled and fought, but couldn't break free from the creature's grip. He shouted. Not because of the pain, but due to the utter panic he felt at the thought of dying here, and leaving Micha at the mercy of the Zombie.

He was shoved to the ground. Drops of thick, slimy saliva trickled down his ear as it held him firmly. Again, Michael screamed.

How had it come to this?

Confused morsels of thoughts, images, and feelings struck him.

Flashes of the past, of what might have been, of what he had been denied. His face was pushed against the sharp rock. The cave echoed with the Zombie's perverse snarling and Michael's desperate cries. Then the boy felt a sudden, increased weight on his back, as if the creature were laying on him.

An instant later, the noise stopped. In its place, an eerie gurgling sound. Michael felt the creature's hold on him weaken.

Then came the blood.

It poured, thick, on his head, trickling down his neck and quickly collecting in small, foul-smelling puddles under his cheeks. The Zombie seems to convulse before collapsing to the ground next to him.

Still incapable of moving, Michael watched his opponent. Then, Michael saw the creature's arms slowly drop to the ground, and lay still.

Silence.

Michael heard a soft whimper.

Then a broken, rhythmic sobbing. He'd never heard anything sadder. He stood slowly, ignoring the sticky blood that covered him and the pain in his arms and knees.

Micha stood there, shaking, still holding the knife. He delicately removed it from her hands, and drew her forehead towards his chest. The Zombie's body lay at their feet.

 _Micha_ , he thought to himself. _My dear Micha_.

He breathed in her scent, and held her tight.

As tight as he could.

He knew he would have to tell his uncle what had happened, show him the breach in security that allowed a Z into the system.

Man, they were in trouble now.


	61. Chapter 61

61

The Recon Barn was in full swing as they went over the haul, unpacking and distributing could take weeks. Ianto had returned the Cat and was now perusing the finds.

Bananas, exotic fruits, vegetables and even flower seeds. Boxes upon boxes of almost any fruit or vegetable seeds they could possibly want. Francine was kneeling with Hailey going through the boxes in one corner of the Recon Barn. The fresh fruit also found were sitting to one side, already being pilfered by the children.

The farming tools were waiting by the tractor that sat with a large trailer on the back and two large machines that had Unit emblems on them, but Ianto had recognized as confiscated after Canary Wharf were being levered onto the trailer. Jack had explained that they help productivity in crops. Jack explained that in his time they are a common tool to have among settlements that are far from civilization. FB was about to get a huge boost in crop control as one headed there, the second to go into the huge underground cavern they were trying to create an underground garden in. This winter there would be fresh vegetables for sure.

Marley was talking softly to Tosh and Owen as they went through vanity items from the higher ups/royal family. Lots of makeup and body care products. Jewelry and rare metals. A crown was sat jauntily on Marley's head and more than one string of rare gems strung around her neck as Tosh sported waterfall earrings that made her giggle. They were laughing at the idea of these being kept for their once-upon-a-time value and Owen snarked, "what the hell would this do them at the end of the world? Can't eat gold!"

"Well, marriage is still a thing Owen" Ianto said as he held up a pretty ring, "Some girl will gave a hint of promise with this, perhaps you will see your Blossom or Poppy one day show her hand with this on there?"

"Once I castrate the males it would be a moot point" Owen muttered and they laughed.

Ianto's attention was drawn to the books. Books, books and books. He had been adamant that these were as important as the seeds, after all you need to grow the mind too. He knew there were days of work ahead going through things still but also knew there were many hands helping, enjoying the idea of replenishing the library that had been in dire need of new blood. They would wait until last, he would spend the most time enjoying the visceral feel of them in his hands as he catalogued and filed. Gods, he missed the simplicity of the Dewey System.

There had been a notebook and set of files Jack had snatched away, heading off with them awkwardly carried in his arms. Rhys had picked up the rest of them and followed with a look of confusion, returning to say Jack had taken them to his 'office' that was a small cavern he had singled out as off limits to others due to the bits and bobs he knew might be dangerous. The door Ebony had crafted had a strong lock.

Clothing, lots and lots of raw materials to make clothes and there was supplies to sew and make what they would need including some rolls of leather and silk that would be hard to find not rotted in the 'real' world.

Michael entered from the side door and Ianto sniffed the air stiffened, swinging to snarl in his direction. His face changed to one of fear as he raced over to him, "Where is Mimi, is she OK?"

"Yeah, it…it's dead but it came in through a cave that was not monitored." He admitted, knowing Ianto's' eyes would narrow as they did, "A picnic, OK? We went for a picnic and thought we had checked all the entrances so it was OK."

Ianto sighed as he rubbed his face, then turned to Rhys and Vic who had been listening.

"Go with him and see where, see if we have it marked or not and work out how one was missed please," Ianto asked, "I want a report by sundown and contingencies to ensure this is contained."

They moved off and Tosh walked over to place a hand on his arm, "I am sure they were all covered. Could it be one unmapped? With the tech you retrieved from the time bubble I can set up the containment cavern later, for now I think we need to use the extra security software you retrieved and get this entire tunnel system properly mapped."

"What do you suggest?" Ianto asked.

"Something Jack won't like, keep him out of the way if you can" she whispered softly, "I will have answers quicker than those men."

Ianto sighed as he watched her storm off knowing she had already commandeered those storage containment cells with battery packs that are meant to last a damn long time inside. The adapted alien tech would make their security tighter if he knew what she was about to do with them.

She was right, Jack was definitely going to hate the idea.

Poor Owen.


	62. Chapter 62

62

Tosh stood at the entrance to Stronghold and checked her coms, "Check, check. Are we all locked down?"

She got confirmation that all doors were closed and those below were confined then she took a large containment box and tipped it on its side, spewing the small metal discs out. They seemed to fall and then shake, then one unfurled thin spinally threads that had been wrapped around it and it rose to reveal itself as some sort of spider.

The fur that had been covered by legs were now visible and the spider-mice marched along the tunnel climbing walls and making clicking noises as they mapped the world they had woken to.

Now Tosh had an 'everlast' battery for their containment cell they could be aware once more and she revelled in the space-tech as she watched her tablet screen, watching the world slowly appear with the growing tunnels and crevices, all checked as deep and far as a small metallic disc can slide in and out.

By this time tomorrow the entire underworld would be mapped and tagged, any and all portals large enough to fit a Z would be identified and neutralised. Tosh fair shone with pride in her wee babies even as her husband was above ground with his foot against the door to SH, whimpering as he watched the bottom of the door in case one escaped, his nightmares come to life as Kingdom of the Spiders was the first horror movie he had seen as a small child and his inane fear of spiders was crippling.

The different colours to signify the different spiders meshed and slowly filled in to create solid tunnels like some CGI display, spreading out to show there were more than they had thought and several stopped and continued for a metre of so across the ground only to signify the opening cave.

Tosh swore softly as she saw at least five more entrances she hadn't known about, as well as two more huge caverns hidden by rock fall. By this time tomorrow crews will have cleared to check if they are habitable.

She became aware of someone beside her and she looked at Jack, watching silently as she tipped the tablet for him to see, his eyes widening as he also saw the unlogged caves. "We'll get those sorted in the morning, sort a couple of crews."

Jack stepped closer, taking up his usual spot and she sighed, glancing at him again, "You spoken with Ianto?"

"Of course" Jack said, then grimaced as he knew what she meant, "Well. No. You know him, ready to drop it and move on and I'm such a shit I will too."

"You could have lost him this time" she said softly, "This could have been it. And fighting the last words."

"I know little dragon" Jack sighed as he rubbed his bump, "I was hoping this afternoon I might have taken him from the bloody Recon Barn for a serious talk but I fell asleep and then we had this to deal with. Was gonna yesterday but…chickened out."

"You know, I always thought you were a fearless leader" she laughed "It's actually nice to know you can be a coward at times. Shame, he wanted today off didn't he."

Jack kissed her cheek and headed up, causing a ruckus as Owen was sure it was a man sized spider trying got open the door and Jack's laughter made it worse as the snorting and shrieking made him think someone was dying.

Jack found Ianto where he knew he would be, in the sea of books bemoaning whoever had dumped them off the truck without being careful of their spines. Jack sighed as he saw Ianto's thin mouth, pressed in a line as he tried to be positive. Once again his day off hadn't worked. He saw Jack coming and Jack saw it, for a brief second there was annoyance in his face, then it smoothed over as he climbed out of the mess to greet him, "The spiders clicking?"

"Five more so far" Jack said without preamble, knowing Ianto would need numbers, "Also two more large caverns, one looks like it's close to ours. I would like to go check but will have to settle for Kev going instead."

Ianto nodded as he glanced back to the piles of book, then turned to Jack and canted his head, "You still want to talk to me."

"Yeah" Jack shoved his hands in his pockets, "I was hoping to at our wee picnic but then I fell asleep, how about tonight?"

"I thought we did" Ianto seemed to consider and Jack had a horrible moment where he wondered if he was going to say no, then he nodded.

"I'll finish up here and meet you at the Big House. I'm still not cleared for any work, Owen still wants me to take it easy so I promised to move the 3Ms new transport in the tunnels." Ianto said softly, stepping close, "Is the Bumpy OK?"

"Yeah" Jack realised he had been rubbing his stomach and dropped his hands, "Just nervous."

"No need to be, you know I forgave you" Ianto said with a shrug.

For some reason, that made him feel worse.


	63. Chapter 63

63

There was a light fog settling as evening wore on and Ianto was antsy to search the Dome perimeter but he waited patiently for Jack.

"Hey, what happened to our afternoon chat?" Jack asked.

"The 3Ms got wind of the vehicle move and wanted a ride in it" Ianto said, "You know I can't deny them."

"So. I was traded in for some younger models huh?" Jack prodded, knowing Ianto had sounded disappointed down the coms when he had contacted him to say their talk would have to wait. Now as they walked the slow circle Jack felt something loosen and fall away, sliding his hand into Ianto's. "Thanks for waiting for me, I know you would rather run it."

"Not always" Ianto replied softly, "I like being with you more."

Jack smiled.

"So. That cavern you wanted to explore, Kev says it's almost as large as our private one" Ianto said as they listened to the crunch underfoot, "You want that for something, don't you."

"Yeah. I have some stuff I want to spread out an explore, a winter hobby" Jack nodded, "Those files I nicked were on the Doctor, also some were on the bunker. I think there are coordinates for other hidden caches. Maybe even with time bubbles intact."

"Jesus, you are kidding" Ianto sighed, "Don't tell the others."

"Exactly, they would want to go now and I don't want you to go anywhere" Jack agreed, "If I spend winter sorting it all and have the bubs, I can present it all to the council next thaw and then I can come with."

"Ah…there it is, you want to come with" Ianto teased and Jack laughed softly as he pushed against Ianto.

"Ya got me there" he smiled happily, the familiar happiness returning to their bond.

"Ebony and Poppy have a huge still" Ianto said after a while, "I think they went on a covert recon to the little brewery in the next village and pilfered the bloody brewing tanks."

"Shit, they tying to go blind?" Jack frowned.

"Fuel" Ianto whispered, "I smelt it.. Like aviation fuel but not quite there. They are about to use the maize we brought back and I worry they might blow themselves up or something but don't want to sideline what might be a brilliant move."

"I could talk to her" Jack said after a few minutes of quirt reflection, "Point out that in my time we make our own fuel for the long haulers and she might let me have a look at the set up without it seeming too authoritarian."

"You did?"

"Yeah. Some space vessels were out in the void for years, the fuel cells recharged when near a star but otherwise old fashioned combustibles worked too. In the black you use whatever you can to get moving to the next bit of light" Jack enjoyed talking about his youth and Ianto liked to listen so he told of an old junker that kept crapping out after each jump and Ianto laughed as Jack described the ancient toilet system breaking down as well.

"I miss that sometimes" Jacks said wistfully, "then I get something here to do. Someone complains that their coms are down, or that time Rhys crashed the tractor into the water tower and I am firing on all cylinders again."

"You miss the thrill" Ianto agreed, "Always running, saving people, being the man. You are pregnant, benched and bored. I felt the same, except I had you to entertain me. Unfortunately I am not an inventive as you were while I was preggers."

"When you said you felt ugly and unattractive…you really didn't. you were beautiful and I didn't understand" Jack sighed, "Now…now I feel like a blob hovering along sucking up everything in my path and growing larger and more cumbersome by the day. Gods, I am sorry love. I shrugged off your feelings."

"What goes around…." Ianto sang.

"Comes around" Jack laughed softly.

"Come on, let's go have a bite to eat with the munchkins before they all disappear like water down the drain" Ianto sighed, "Movie night in SH. We won't see them again tonight as they will all sleep in a big ball like kittens."

"I love that, the way they all love each other" Jack smiled as he slowed to step up a small rise.

"There is some strange argument happening actually" Ianto said after a while, "If I didn't know better I would think they were fighting over Frank."

"Frank" Jack repeated.

"Well, they are starting to see him as a good protector" Ianto shrugged, "Maybe a couple of the girls want him for a boyfriend."

"He's a weevil."

"They don't care, seriously Cariad, would you care if our daughter came to us and said she wanted to wed one?" Ianto asked, watching Jack consider.

"Seriously? I would be relieved he doesn't have tentacles." Jack nodded, "Of course I would support their decision. To be honest, I see him as a good protector too. If our daughter wanted him then I think I would agree to it. Huh. Go figure, there was a moment of old fartery there where I hesitated. How rich!"

"Hard being a parent" Ianto snorted, "No matter how liberal you think you are, you will look at any suitor she brings home and want to castrate him."

"And I laughed at Owen for that comment the other day" Jack grimaced, "Gods. I missed all this with Alice. Maybe I should…wow. I think I am getting adulty and stuff. Ew. Feels weird. I don't like Adulting."

Ianto laughed as he pulled Jack closer and kissed him.

"Don't' worry Cariad, you will always be a big kid" he assured him.

"A sexy, big boy one though" Jack pouted and Ianto roared with mirth.

"Oh Jack, Mine. You are mine. The best one ever."

Jack didn't even feel the ground walking back to the big house, forgiven.

The relief thrummed between them.


	64. Chapter 64

64

Kev heard the laughter as he entered the cavern that was labelled as Jack and Ianto's, confused to find it empty then he realised the noise was next door.

Kev walked through, past some rubble cleared to show an entrance to find a second large cavern and he looked up to see Ianto half way up the rock face as Jack laughed and tried to make him get down. Like the spider mice that had discovered this hidden room, Ianto was proving a surprise.

"Baby, come on I'm gonna wet myself here" Jack wailed, choking and laughing as he doubled over, "Come on."

Kev's mouth fell open as Ianto scuttled across the rock face, going higher and Jack squealed as he crossed his legs and crouched, "Ah gods, I gotta pee."

Jack raced for the bathroom making strangled noises as Kev stepped closer to the wall, "What are you doing?"

"Looking for good locking points" Ianto called out and Kev watched as he removed a hook and slammed it into the rock, "Jack can hang some screens and such on these babies."

"So this is going to be his…what…office?"

"I'm thinking more like play room but yeah, you get the idea" Ianto laughed as he suddenly pushed off from the rock face and seemed to suspend in midair before he gracefully twisted and landed on his feet, reminding Kev of a cat.

"Jack is going to go stir crazy soon with being benched, this is where he can spread out his projects" Ianto explained, "He has files and little research projects he's working on, this will be a nice place for some tables and a desk."

"Out of the way, can only be reached by getting through you…yeah." Kev snorted, "Nice."

"You see? That's what I like about you, no need for bullshit or half truths" Ianto smiled softly, "Yes, Jack is going to do something I don't want them to see, he knows things, has seen things and we have things that are not for humans. They are like children, they need to be …well. They can only handle so much at a time. It will take years for them to be ready for what we might have to do."

"Going off world" Kev nodded as he settled in a chair, "We might have to leave Earth if it continues to evolve like this, its becoming harsher. The winters, longer. Maybe not now but in ten, twenty years? Ice-age."

"You do see" Jack said from the doorway, "I love this planet but we might have to give her back to herself, let her have her time. I am sure that somewhere in these files is the answer."

"Area 51 is real" Ianto said as he picked up a file and waved it, "We have our own version here in Britain, others do too. There is the possibility of space flight here. One day we can travel the stars."

"Like Star trek, boldly go and all that shit?" Kev snorted.

"Well, we do. You do." Jack said softly, "I come from a little planet called Boeshane. We were colonised by Earth settlers hundreds of years before I was born, obviously they came from here, right?"

Kev blinked "Shit."

"I am certain she will give us a long time before she needs us to go" Ianto said as he looked around the cave, "But it is a good idea to be ready."

"21st Century" Kev sighed, "When it all changes."

He wandered off as Jack stood there gaping and Ianto walked over to stand beside him, "See? I told you, he's a keeper."

"He looked right at a picture of a Darlek and didn't blink" Jack whispered, "Think he saw one before?"

"Well, we have" Ianto shrugged as he started to walk towards another wall, "Stands to reason a man that is as worldly as him would both believe and accept."

"I like him" Jack decided, "He's a good fit for us. Gods, we almost lost him right off the bat."

"We do have to be more careful" Ianto agreed as he immediately betrayed his own decision by swinging with one hand and flipping up on the wall over Jack's head, "Complacency breeds inattention."

"Inattention breeds accidents" Jack finished as he held out a hook and watched Ianto bend back almost unnaturally to pluck it from his hands.

"Know what movie scene I'm thinking of right now baby?" Jack said with a sly grin.

Ianto neatly flipped upside down letting his ankles hug a rock outcrop and he seized Jack's face, kissing him hungrily with a soft growl, then he realised him and went back to clipping hooking into the rock face.

"OK, your version is definitely better" Jack said dreamily as he settled to watch his beloved scuttle about the cavern like a cave spider.

"Holdfast?"

"Hmmmm?"

"Can we have some…er…boom-boom?"

Ianto looked down at him with open confusion.

"Little ears" Jack said as he pointed to his belly, "But I really could do with some boom-boom, rubby. Slippy sort of ….ah…pulling?"

"Really?" Ianto said with one eyebrow moving to show his amusement, "Want me to grease you up and go for it?"

Jack opened his mouth to complain, then saw the twinkle and started to snigger.

"Arsehat."

"You asked for that!" Ianto said as he landed on his feet again and stalked menacingly towards him, "All those times I wanted a good seeing to and you were too busy being all…active!"

"Oh gods, I miss being active" Jack pouted, "I am sorry for every time I was too busy for rompey pompey. I forgot. I forgot how bloody horny these hormones make you."

"Tell you what" Ianto said as he looked up at the ceiling "I'll hang those lights and you go slip into …nothing more comfortable. I'll come see how much of you I can fit with bumpy acting like a buffer then."

"Me?" Jack squeaked with glee.

"Well, I might poke an eye out of we go the other way" Ianto frowned, "Bedsides. I want a good seeing to as well ya know."

Jack's squeals echoed as he waddled from the room and raced for their bedroom.

Gods, was he ever ready for this.


	65. Chapter 65

65

Ianto's hands moved over Jack's skin, a soft caress, oddly tentative, but then he drew a sharp breath, Jack's hands tightening on his flesh, squeezing in a possessive way that took him completely by surprise.

But it also lit a fire deep inside, a primal desire that had him arching his back, pressing against Jack's hands, silently asking—begging—for more.

Jack bent his head suddenly, his mouth coming down on Ianto's, bruising his lips, in a kiss that seared him down to his bare toes. Ianto reacted instantly, instinctively, wrapping his arms around his neck, pulling to meet him fully.

Ianto palmed Jack's dick, the other hand sliding down to cup his arse. The kiss was primitive, but deeply arousing, and Jack gave himself over fully to Ianto's mouth on his, his tongue thrusting between his lips. He tasted of the fruit Ianto'd eaten, unfamiliar and sweet, wildly delicious.

Jack was giddy with desire, with the heady sensation of being in the arms of this man, this exotic creature, who was as much animal, as he was man. Nothing in Jack's life compared to how he felt at this moment.

Jack's hands slid down Ianto's torso, not a gentle caress, but a sure touch, until they came to the edge of his jeans. He broke the kiss abruptly with a sound something like a hiss. "You wear far too many clothes. I have no patience with these."

Ianto stepped back, quickly undoing the snap and zipper of his jeans, before Jack tried tearing them off. he tugged the jeans and his boxers down in one movement, kicking them away.

The fire bugs lit the cavern enough that it caught Jack's face, his high cheekbones catching the soft light. Ianto stood back, letting him look at him, basking in his hot gaze. His eyes moving over Ianto, so intense he could almost feel his gaze on his skin, leaving behind a trail of fire.

Jack's breath was coming up short, as his eyes moved over his body, across the broad shoulders, narrow waist, and taut stomach. His eyes dropped lower, and he briefly closed his eyes. Seeing Ianto standing before him, bold and confident, sent a palpable thud rocketing through his body.

Jack opened his eyes as Ianto moved toward him, and he found himself in his arms again, this time the beautiful and erotic feel of his skin against him almost overwhelming. Ianto held Jack's face in his hands, his kiss all-consuming, and the promise of what was to come clearly evident.

Ianto guided Jack down to the mattress on the floor, and he found himself looking up at the enigma. He was silent, intent, his hands sliding over Jack's body, manipulating, guiding him.

Jack let him take control—for the moment at least—let him arrange his legs to suit his desires.

There was no awkwardness, no question between them as Jack took charge.

Jack took him suddenly, and he cried out. He filled him, consumed him, and Ianto let him set the pace, and then gave in to his body's desires, moving beneath him, shifting, thrusting up against him. He grunted against his shoulder, a deeply satisfied sound, and he changed position, giving him more freedom around bump, and he took full advantage, meeting him fully.

Their movements grew more aggressive, almost violent, as they thrashed in harmony among the pillows. Ianto wanted to pin him down, and ride him until he could hold back no longer. But he was too big and bump too sensitive.

Jack pulled back suddenly, rising on his knees. He dug his fingers into Ianto's hips, pulling him bodily up his massive thighs. Ianto was under his control now, at his mercy, but it didn't matter. He was delirious with pleasure, and there was no stopping what Jack had set in motion.

Ianto gave in to him and let him take him where he wanted. He watched him, his head thrown back, eyes closed. He thrust hard, holding him easily, as if he were nothing more than a feather.

The force of Ianto's orgasm took his breath away. He surged up hard and gripped Jack's arse, lifting him, and he felt weightless. The surprising move increased the already intense pleasure, and he writhed and twisted in his hands, screaming his pleasure to the fire bugs.

Jack followed him into the abyss, each thrust accompanied by a guttural cry, as old as creation, as new to him as this level of love was. He throbbed and pulsed, his seed filling him as he took his release.

And then it was over.

Jack lay, looking up at the faux stars, his skin slick with perspiration, his body so relaxed that unless he moved, he had no idea where he ended and Ianto began.

From somewhere close, he heard Ianto's breathing, but he didn't touch him. He listened to the sounds of the Stronghold, to Ianto's breathing slow then deepening, and he knew he was asleep.

Closing his eyes, Jack followed, blissful sleep overtaking him.

Their bond thrummed.

Their baby slept.


	66. Chapter 66

66

Ifan didn't even look ashamed as Ianto stood staring at the huge vat.

"Where is Ebony hiding?" Ianto asked calmly and her head popped up, chagrined.

"Care to explain?" Ianto asked with a raised eyebrow as she clambered over some pipes with a grin forming.

"Ethanol can be made from grain you grow yourself — or from a wide range of other local and sustainable feedstocks including food waste and crop culls. With a little specialized equipment and know-how," Ebony began the speech she had been practicing in her head, "If you grow your own corn, you can distill more than 300 gallons of ethanol from 1 acre of corn. If you drive less than 10,000 miles per year, you could produce all your own fuel from 2 acres of corn — and, granted, a lot of labor. In short, when I talk about ethanol, I'm talking about do-it-yourself fuel, and practicing local self-reliance on an individual and community scale."

"Go on, I'm listening" Ianto said as he watched Ifan start to grin. Ifan knew his grandson was playing now.

"Ethanol is a clear liquid that packs a lot of energy into a usable, storable, and transportable form. The choice of raw material is an important factor. Crops with a high sugar or starch content are ideal, but nearly any crop cull or surplus can work (if used before spoilage sets in), so you can choose the most economical and sustainable materials available to you. Apples and other small fruits, potatoes, beans, wheat, rye, and sorghum grains are all potential candidates — as is cheese whey, the milk sugar left over from processing." She said as she pointed out a use for the apples as well as reminding him of the new cheese bins she had just made for the goats milk cheese, "After fermentation is complete, the ethanol must be distilled from the water. This is best accomplished with a reflux still, which is equipped with a distillation column. The column uses a series of perforated plates or packed compartments to remove the water in a process called fractionation. As the heated water and alcohol vapors rise through each stage, a progressively stronger alcohol vapor is created. During distillation, column temperature must be controlled to take advantage of the different boiling points of the two fluids. The alcohol vapors rise, while the water condenses and drops back to be reintroduced as a vapor mix again and again."

"So what does it take to set up a small-scale distillery?" Ianto asked as he looked back at the large stainless steel vats.

"That depends on how small an operation you want. A simple batch still can be made from an old water heater and a length of 3-inch conduit and heated by wood or natural gas. A still this size will make about 1 1⁄2 gallons of fuel-grade ethanol per hour." Ebony snorted, "But on a more practical scale, building a 6-inch column still will put you in the 6-gallons-per-hour production ballpark — a substantial yield, but one that comes with additional cost. At that size, you'd be best served with a hammermill or grinder to prep the feedstock, separate cooking and fermentation tanks, a storage vessel for stillage or spent beer with residuals (along with a press to separate the marketable distiller's grains), and storage for the ethanol itself. Centrifugal pumps, plumbing, and valves are also a necessary part of the plan, along with a hydrometer, several thermometers, and pH and sugar testing tools. A 6-inch column coupled to a 500 to 1,200-gallon tank will run a batch in four to seven hours."

"Beer" Ianto said softly as he watched his grandfather lick his lips, "So there will be some drinkable excess I take it."

"Also, we can feed the waste to the stock in winter" Ifan pointed out, "The excess grains that don't make the cut can still be stockfeed."

"If you use mild steel, you'll be able to weld the components and build your column without needing any special skills or equipment" Ebony went on " though the metal will eventually oxidize over time. Stainless steel is a better choice, but will probably be limited to vats and storage. Used distillation columns are sometimes available through farm and industrial auction dealers. We just…er…borrowed these from the old distillery down there. Stainless steel. Perfect!"

"And you had to sterilize everything…so you borrowed the goods for that too?" Ianto asked with a straight face as Ifan laughed softly.

"Give it up girl, he's already on board" Ifan called out his minion in her overalls, "He's bloody pulling your chain."

"We will need more corn though" Ianto said as he slowly walked around the vats, "The choppers could run on the pure stuff, if we can change out the seals regularly. It will eat through them after a while."

"See?" Ifan poked Ebony in the side, "Told you my Bonny girl. Boy knows a good thing."

"I will talk with Vic" Ianto said as he turned to stride from the room, "We will keep more seed stock this autumn, plant an extra corn field in spring. We will call it the Ebby Ethy Field."

They laughed as Ianto looked at the vats once more as he slipped out the door, satisfied that it was not a danger.

As always, the Jones had done his homework.

Ifan's still was perfect.


	67. Chapter 67

67

Ianto was sitting with Jack as Jack snoozed in the afternoon sun. The mezzanine level of the School House was perfect for a little cuddle above their precious horde. The summer was ending and these little caches of sunlight were precious, their pup seeming to be happiest there as well and Jack got some rare sleep time without his bladder getting a beating. His belly was now pronounced, obvious and the pride between the two men also thrummed.

Ianto was looking out the window of the upper library level as the village hummed below, the first of the things to be packed down below were quietly being moved and the harvest was scheduled to start in the next few days, school would be out then and they were trying to pack some time in now.

Ianto heard the commotion below and turned from the edge of the day bed to look down below to see Frank in full tantrum mode as the children looked on with open shock.

Ianto didn't hesitate, leaping gracefully from the mezzanine level onto the floor and scooping the weevil up, then walking from the classroom to deposit him outside in the garden area.

"Frankie?" Ianto said softly as he looked at the weevil and he saw the raw anger as the little man snarled in a rude manner.

"Calm down" Ianto scolded, "I can't understand you when you are upset, you need to slow your mind and concentrate so we can talk about what was wrong. Tell me."

Frank had something screwed up in his hand and he thrust it into Ianto's shoulder so hard that Ianto winced, rubbing his shoulder as Frank's eyed widened and then he dropped his head in shame.

"I know you didn't mean that, you forgot I got hurt, huh?" Ianto said softly, "Come kiss me better."

Frank looked up with hope and rushed into his arms, rubbing his leathery face against him and 'kissing' him.

"Oi, are you stealing my man?" Jack asked as he finally got to them, slightly out of breath as he settled on a seat, "Turn my back for one minute and there he is, 'Frankie the smooch' stealing my fella out from under me."

"What's wrong darling boy" Ianto said and Frank reached out to tap against Ianto's arm.

 _ **Not boy.**_

"Yes you are, you are our boy" Ianto frowned, then accepted the handful of paper, smoothing it out on his leg as Jack leaned over to pull Frankie towards him.

"Frankie love, you are our little man, an important man for this village. We love you and we need you because you will grow big and strong. You will be a leader one day like us" Jack crooned as he cuddled the little one and he watched the claws gently pet the bump as Frank softened and started to croon at the baby within.

Ianto stared at the piece of paper and then rose, his face changing to one of anger, "Don't worry love. Uncle will sort this shit!"

Ianto strode back into the school house and Frank hummed happily as Jack started to sing, soothing the babies in his charge.

"Clara" Ianto barked, "I need to talk to you."

She turned and left Alice still helping the children pick up the things that had been scattered when the little one had erupted and as she neared him she saw his anger.

"What the hell is this?" he demanded as he thrust the paper at her and she blinked rapidly as she accepted it.

"Well, I thought it would be a good exercise to do a family tree" she said nervously.

"They can't all write" Ianto said slowly, "That's why it's art, not writing."

"Well, I said they could draw their family or something" she shrugged, "It was just to show the family units."

"And those with no units?" Ianto snarled, "We have a number of orphans here or did not you remember? How do they add me? Jack? You? We are all family, you just confused the hell out of them and poor Frankie is beside himself."

"Oh no" she finally got what she had done.

"Not only can he not write the names of his family, there are no 'real' family to draw" Ianto was beyond angry as he saw how upsetting this must be for the wee guy, "Billy? Does he put the old family? The new one? What about Marley?"

"I didn't….I didn't think" she was flustered now and Alice approached.

"Sorry Tad, I didn't realise what it was" she sighed, "I've been so tired with the baby so close and I never…I mean how does Stephen explain you and Dad?"

I want you to tell the class this was called on account of sun" Ianto said calmly, "Let them go and clear it all away. Do not even speak of this again."

"I am so sorry" Clara said sadly, "I just didn't think."

"Well, Frank is the one breaking his wee heart out there because there are no other weevils to draw" Ianto flung a hand, then sighed, "Look, I know you meant well but family trees are not a thing that matters, not like it did last century. A lot of families were not what you would call a nuclear family even before the shit hit the fan. We are all family"

"Yes, yes you are right" she agreed as she morosely started gathering the pictures up.

Ianto considered the problem he was now faced with, the children would dwell on this and it would come up again no doubt.

He decided to talk to someone who might have an idea or two.


	68. Chapter 68

68

"Shit" Kev sighed, "Rough on the wee man."

"Yeah" Ianto agreed, "Also, the ones you brought with you, can they even fully remember?"

"Shit" Kev repeated as he watched Ianto pace the room. He knew it was best to let him steam for a while, then talk to him more rationally. After a few circuits he seemed calm enough so Kev spoke again "We are all family right? Like…one tribe?"

"Pack" Ianto agreed, turning to face him.

"A tree is one tree, one trunk, one base but the branches are many, the leaves too many to count." Kev thought out loud, "So a family tree of this village sure would be something."

"There it is" Ianto pointed, "Thanks Kev, I knew you would understand."

"Any time brother" Kev said as he watched Ianto stride out of the living room and he grinned as he shook his head, none the wiser as to how he had helped at all.

Ianto went to the Brewery and found Ebony there. He explained what had happened and got the sympathetic huffing he had expected.

"You super busy here?" he asked and she shook her head, following him to one of the new caves the spider mice had found, letting her walk around the vastness of it.

"Fucking huge" she muttered.

"Took me almost a whole day just to hang the lighting" Ianto agreed.

"So what do you want?" she turned and waited as she saw a job coming her way.

"Down this end I want a stage, can you get Boomer to construct one? The kids can put on shows and plays and stuff, I want to encourage their playfulness and imaginations" Ianto said as he waved a hand and then he pointed to the other wall, "Here I want a mural. An art piece, can be partially 3D, whatever you think."

Ebony waited for the punch.

"A tree" Ianto nodded as he pointed and looked up toward the ceiling, "One huge trunk so big we can wrap our arms around it, papier-mâché or something, I don't know. So the branches will go around the wall, some painted on, maybe some real ones that reach out, you get the idea?"

"A family tree" she smiled as she showed her excitement, "Then we can all be on it regardless of where we came from, we would all be here together."

"Gods I knew you would get it" he grinned, "Yeah. I want the kids to make their leaf whatever they want it to be. Individual like them. A real dried leaf with their name painted on it, a clay leaf, one of your china plates with a handprint …if they want to put their birthday…oh that might be a good idea."

"Name and DOB on a plate so it is easily read, the handprints can be extra leaves, room left for more members" she was talking as well as she saw his vision, "a few birds painted on the branches, a monkey hiding behind one? Make it a real visual piece."

"Right around the walls" Ianto continued, "I want the furthest branches to meet here on the other side, here above the doorway."

"For you and jack" she said calmly, as she saw it, "You and Jack above the door, the branches all leading back to the tree. To Holdfast."

"I knew you would get it" Ianto smiled as he nodded, then left her to it as she started to pace out the measurements she wanted, he eyes glazing over as she considered materials.

"Hey" Randy ran to catch up, also content to leave his sister to her musings, "I have a question."

"Sure" Ianto stopped walking and turned to face him.

"The old church we stole the glass windows from, we pinched the pews too, right?" He asked Ianto gleefully, "Still in the blue barn marked as 'whatever' so what if we used those for seating in there, in front of the stage? Like a real theatre?

"Brilliant" Ianto nodded, "I like it. Whatever you think will work. It's such a huge area. In the winter months I hope it will become a hub where we can all go to hang out, like the town square."

"Some shelves for books, board games and the like" Randy said, then turned to start walking away, calling over his shoulder, "I'll talk to Boomer about getting the heat piped in first, then we can work around any visible pipes and incorporate them into that tree."

Ianto smiled as he now knew everyone would jump at the project and he went back to find Jack where he had left him, still cuddling a weevil that was now happy and content as he loved the bump.

"And you thought he was gonna take me from you" Ianto scolded, "Look at this. You two look so settled in the sun."

"Lovely" Jack sighed softly as he smiled up at his mate, pouting for a kiss which he got…of course.

Then Ianto leaned down and kissed the little face that was angled for one as well.

He loved all his children.

Especially Frank.


	69. Chapter 69

69

Ianto had gone to do a perimeter check and found himself wandering deep into the woods, then on to the fields beyond as he tracked the smell of wolf.

The pack was nearby and they were hungry. He scented and recognised pups, so late in the season were not a good thing.

He called to say he was spending some more time out there and started a fire, then he strode to the creek, culling some sheep and dragging the carcasses over to the edge of the dying fire, renewing it and settling back.

They came with dusk, their heads hanging low and their teeth on display as Ianto sat serenely watching, then one approached.

"It's OK" Ianto said calmly, "You are welcome. Take what you need, the whelps need it."

After they had eaten their fill, they settled by the fire and Ianto began to talk softly, describing the caving system to the south of Stronghold, explaining the warmth in the rock from the natural gases beneath. Some listened with their heads up and eyes gleaming as other slept, finally all settling to enjoy the fire.

Ianto sat a while longer, feeding the fire as he listened to the night breath, then he shifted on the fallen log he had chosen for a seat and he watched the edge of the clearing for five minutes before the first person stumbled into the half light beyond the fire.

The man seemed nervous, almost to the point of retreating but Ianto knew he wouldn't. Not with the others still hidden watching so he stepped closer and Ianto raised his head to look directly at him.

"There are no Zs in this area" Ianto said softly, letting his voice carry on the breeze, "It's quite safe. Come to the light."

The old man was clean although the clothes were ill fitting and Ianto guessed that he had worn them since the beginning, prideful. Mending and keeping even as he lost weight. Ianto waited, he had made the first move, it was his turn now.

"I didn't know anyone was out this far" the man finally said, a twang to his voice that made Ianto start, then reassess. "Just moving through before the leaves turn fully. Move from village to village, trying to find a spot to hunker down before the first snows."

"Another couple of months yet" Ianto said softly, "Gotta get the hay done, I think seven or eight weeks before we get the first bite."

"Abner" the man said after more silence, "Abner Monroe."

"I thought it was American at first but it isn't, it's Canadian?" Ianto canted his head, "Alaska?"

"Well I'll be damned" Abner laughed softly as he also reassessed, "That's right."

"Monroe. You have a son called Samuel. A dentist" Ianto continued to talk as he rose to feed the fire and Abner saw the shine of eyes further back behind Ianto.

"How did you know that?" he asked as he wondered what sort of dog it was hiding back there.

"Sam was the dentist for my sister's kids" Ianto replied as he sat again, "I remember that accent. London is a long way from here."

"Like I said, each summer we move" Abner now saw more shines, "Jesus how many dogs you got mister?"

"Ianto" Ianto said as he leaned back to scent and count, "Ianto Harkness-Jones. They are not dogs, it's a pack of wild wolves come to enjoy the fire. Probably from the London Zoo, been here for almost two years now. You are probably following the same path they did Abner."

"Holy shit" Abner swallowed as one stepped into the fire light to seize a hunk of meat, dragging it back.

"They have young, they just want a little companionship" Ianto smiled, "Don't worry, they are full of mutton. The others can come enjoy the fire too, no need for the little ones to be afraid out there in the dark."

Abner blinked, then turned to signal and several people rushed for the safety of the firelight and Ianto smiled as a little boy no more than 18 months was placed on the ground with a stick. Ianto reached for his backpack and removed a bag full of chocolate chip cookies, offering them to the excited children.

"Christ, it that chocolate chips?" a man said in a raspy voice, "I thought I would never smell that again."

"Four adults and three children" Ianto said softly, "And a heavily pregnant woman. You really need shelter before the chill."

"There is a village near here" Abner said as he pulled out a dog-eared map, "Was heading for that."

Ianto considered as he looked at the teenage girl hugging to the raspy voice man. She didn't look good. She looked quite ill actually and as he looked she seemed to pale more.

"What ails you?" he asked and she blinked owlishly at him.

"She dislocated her shoulder a couple of days back and it's gone back in bad" Abner sighed, "We've tried every which way but I think something's pinched."

Ianto rose and said he was getting more wood, striding out into the dark as he pulled the coms from his pocket.

They really needed a dentist and he had recognised Sam long before Sam had recognised him.

He knew they would be welcomed.


	70. Chapter 70

70

Ianto returned to the fire with more wood and now watched the heavily pregnant woman as she shifted on the log. He didn't sense she was Abner's or Samuel's. The teenager was the only other one he could consider an adult and she was clearly the little girl from the photos he had in his office back in the other life, now a young woman.

The pregnant woman was alone.

One of the children had scooted back near her and had the same curly hair but the other two children had colour to their skin that was either African or maybe Middle Eastern. Either way, Kev would be smitten with the little boy who looked like him with his dirty hair in natural dreads.

"I have some friends coming" Ianto said after a while, making one of the wolves stand wearily, "No, it's OK old father we are leaving with them. You stay. Your pack deserves a night by the fire. I warn you as it is a loud metal beast they travel in and I do not know if you remember those."

The wolf approached and stood near Ianto with its head held high, considering him and then it leaned forward, as did Ianto and they touched noses in a wolfy kiss. Then the large wolf slid back to settle once more and Ianto smiled.

"I'll get one more load of wood while we wait for the transport to arrive, let this family have some warmth after we are gone."

"They…they understood you" Samuel rasped with his odd voice.

"Yes" Ianto said simply, rising and retreating as Samuel also rose to follow. Once in the trees Ianto turned to face him. "Samuel, I have a friend at the village, a doctor. He can do something about Desiree's shoulder."

"It is you" Samuel said as he stepped closer, "I thought…I thought … looks like Rhiannon Davies' brother Ianto. But, it was so long ago and my mind, it plays tricks something, ya know?"

"Yeah, sometimes it seem like it had always been this way and the life before was a book we read and then discarded" Ianto smiled, "I think it is how we deal with the grief of it. It's easier to place it one side."

"Tell me, this village….is it safe? Fortified?" Samuel asked as he picked up some wood.

"It is a community, many in it and usually well hidden from others." Ianto frowned "I recognised your Dad though, knew you were here and I knew Rhiannon would have been so pleased to see you. She liked your sense of humour. We can make an exception this time."

"She didn't make it?" he asked quietly, knowing the answer in Ianto's' shrug. "The kids?"

"Mee-mee" Ianto said after a while, "A pretty young lady, a boy who wants to plead for her. Maybe another six months, maybe less he will come to me and Jack, asking for permission to formally name her as his. Too young to breed but…this is a new world, a new way of life and they are so much older than before. I will say yes when he is strong enough to look me in the eye."

"Shit" Samuel sighed, "She always had such perfect wee teeth."

"Her adult ones are too" Ianto said with pride, "She always looks for tooth brushes, is careful with her smile. A real looker, all the boys think so. Michael would throttle any of them if they said so out loud though."

Samuel laughed, then swung to peer to their left, "What's that sound?"

"Rolling Thunder" Ianto replied, "We better get back."

"No…not thunder. It sounds more like…"

Ianto's laughter cut him off, "That's the name of the vehicle. We started naming things, silly really but the kids love doing it. Rolling Thunder is a large fortified troop carrier."

"Oh god, you have vehicles still working?" Samuel said gleefully, "Thank god. I am so fucking sick of walking."

They returned and waited as the sound of the vehicle came closer, the little kids afraid as they had clearly never heard an engine before, the Rolling Thunder crested a rise and Abner started to cackle at the majesty of the black monster, it's running lights lighting the area around it.

It rolled to a stop and the doors flew open, Micha rushing out to see for herself, "Doc Monroe! Is that you?"

"Oh my god, Micha!" he said happily as he saw her pretty teeth flash, her beauty obvious in the spotlights.

"Right, where's me patient, fuck she's preggers over there too, well shit" Owen was huffing as he shoved Micha out of the way and headed for Destiny who was now transfixed, "Fuck, messy. Who did this? Not a bad try but she has a pinched nerve alright. Can't fix it here, will need to get her to the hospital, Ianto…where…ah… ta mate."

Ianto had wordlessly collected his kit bag and handed it over, "Right missy. This is just a wee prick, any comment from you wolf boy and I'll deck ya one! I am so tired of that one!"

Abner snorted as he guessed the quip Ianto was sniggering at and Owen quickly gave the girl a nerve blocker, watching her slump with relief.

"Right, in. Let's go. Yan, you coming with?"

Ianto turned to the wolves and bowed, "Good night. Remember those caves, you are welcome there."

Then they loaded up and Micha scooped up the Kev look-alike and held him out to Owen who started to laugh.

"Yeah, we needed another one of those to be sure" he snorted as the engines roared to life.

Time to go home.


	71. Chapter 71

71

"Sarah is more than slightly nervy around men, she was raped and the baby she seems to be carrying healthily is the result" Owen was saying to the committee, "She's about five months along give or take. She can't give me dates of course. Her little one, er…Rachael…they are wanting their own spot. I think its best if the men folk are reminded to steer clear, let her choose how much contact she has."

"The kids?" Ifan asked.

"As we thought, wee Forrest and Freia are orphans but Hope has taken them under her wing." Ianto said softly, making the table turn with delight as he entered and took a seat, "Nice little ones, manners. They fit well into the crèche."

"So…Samuel is a dentist" Owen resumed speaking, "His Dad is a retired rancher. Hard man, loves horses. Will be great for security, farming and such, I think Fallback will benefit from them both and they like the smaller village idea."

"The girl clings to her dad a bit, seems like she was Daddy's little girl before it all went to shit" Ifan said as he nodded, "She might be better suited to the small animal farm."

"Agreed" they all nodded and then waited as Ianto's presence here meant something was up.

Ianto seemed to stall and cant his head with a frown as it listening to something.

"Fay is birthing" he finally said and Owen shot to his feet and then ran from the room.

"I want everyone to be aware of the large number of newborns here, more due during the winter below." Ianto began "I want allowances made with some of the women who might usually be helping out in the kitchens who will be otherwise busy with newborns or caring for those infirm. The men folk cannot see this as a time of rest like they did last year. We all need to support each other so I would like it is there were more male names on the weekly rosters for common area work please."

"Agreed"

We have eighty odd now" Ianto said softly, "Er…well, we are all a bit odd I guess but we now need to be more aware of our living areas. The new common room is coming along nicely and it is time for a proper name. I suggest a competition."

Everyone turned with interest.

"Everyone picks a name, we put them up and people vote. If we can't decide then the best ones go in a hat or something" Ianto smiled, "Winner gets an entire box of chocolates from the Larder."

The table erupted as everyone excitedly talked about which box it might be, the chocolates the most talk about spoils from the last recon. Ianto smiled as he saw the mood lifting and rose to leave, everyone turning again. "Also, due to the increased number of children I am also installing kiddie gates at some cave entrances like the workshop, Ebby's Ethy and my Reflection Den. I need the kids to start respecting some personal spaces before we get into winter lock-down. Frank needs some more of you to learn Morse as well, he is becoming conversational and seeks others to talk to. See Martha, Mickey and Kev, he has said he is happy to teach."

Some made interested noises at Kev's name and Ianto knew the little weevil would have more people to communicate with soon.

"Ianto, the harvest?" Rhys called out and Ianto swung to look back at him.

"Tomorrow right? The first hay making?" Ianto asked and several people nodded.

"Then we make a week of it, at the end of the week we can have a Harvest Party. Thus marking the start of the move down below" Ianto said as he leaned against the door frame, "I'm thinking, if we mark it like a big celebration then the kids might look forward to it each year, see the move down as something cool instead of a chore. In time, both above and below will be well enough stocked that there will not be a need to move and relocate so much shit. I would like that, so anyone with free time, pitch in and help quietly move some stuff now. When we make the Harvest Party the official start of the move down and people can start moving, we give it a timeframe of a month for people to move so when we are all finally below it will still be before the first snows."

"Agreed"

"Actually, I was going to suggest that." Art agreed, "The two villages will have time to join without much fuss as well. My boy…he is dying to get to the Teen Tunnel."

"Freddy really wants to leave school and start being full time with the livestock" Ifan said as he nodded, "He really wants to be this side of the woods, sees his friends here and wants to be here too. I think he is old enough. His blindness is not really an issue, not with all the little ones who love being his guide."

"Especially wee Kitty" Someone said with a soft laugh.

"Bart?" Jack asked with surprise, "Really? She's what…ten? Ten and a half?"

"Old enough to see a good man" Rhys smiled, "The boy is so shy I think a ballsy girl like her is perfect. Another four or five years and they will make a nice couple."

"Well, it is the natural thing I guess" Jack grinned as he rubbed his belly, "We do seem to expand around here."

People laughed softly as he rubbed his bump.


	72. Chapter 72

72

The sun was peeking and the chill was still in the air from the fog slowly lifting as the village started to wake.

Kev was walking slowly toward the big house to ask his love if she wanted to go for a stroll when he saw Sam up ahead staring open mouthed at the Tank.

"Hey" Kev said as conversationally as he gets around this time of the morning.

"That is cool" Sam said emphatically, "It looks like a real tank!"

"Coz it is a real tank" Kev nodded, "Pretty cool huh? We have another at the other village."

Sam turned to face him and Kev realised he was trying to work out if he was joking or not. With a jolt Kev realised he was not the newbie here and he smiled as he wondered how the Wolfling was going to go down.

"The other village, Fallback" Sam said as they started to walk together, "Ianto had indicated that is the better one for us to settle at once Owen has cleared us to move."

"It's smaller, quieter and your girl seems to need time to mend" Kev nodded, "It's our farming village so there are a lot of animals and stuff. Ianto has noticed her love of animals and thinks she would prefer the rabbits, goats, pigs and such to all the humans roaming this side."

San snorted softy, "Well, he's not wrong there."

"Ianto seldom is" Kev said, then stopped walking to look at San seriously, "In fact in the time I have known him he has never lied, never waxed lyrical and never been wrong. Him vouching for you was a big thing. There is a protocol here, newbies don't get in straight away. A house set up on a nearby farm where they survail you and decide if you can stay or fuck off, a voting system and everything. It is a rare thing for him to supersede that, to break the rules. He only does it for someone he believes in, someone who should be so fucking grateful that they are not out in the cold."

"They have turned people away?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, they have fought for their little slice of paradise here, been challenged and have lost people, killed people but then again we all have haven't we….to survive" Kev was talking softly but the challenge was there and Sam heard it, realising it was a warning as much as a welcoming from this large, well sculpted Hawaiian.

"I just want to survive, my daughter to do better" he answered the man as he tried not to step back from the smouldering glare, "I will never betray these people, they are my people now."

He seems to have chosen the right words because Kev's face cleared and he smiled, a soft one that went to his eyes.

"Well done dude" he nodded, turning to walk again and Sam felt the chill leaving the air.

 _Fuck that was a little bit scary, ya know? He was fucking huge._

Noise had him turning to see Ianto lopping past with a huge pack of dogs of varying breeds and size, some goats and he blinked as a pig seemed to waddle past trying to catch up. Then Ianto burst into a run, his legs lengthening as he ran the dome perimeter and Tish ran past Kev slapping his arse as she tried to join and she stopped to wait for Ianto to draw near before turning in the same direction and Ianto checked his speed so she wasn't left behind.

He turned to speak to Kev but he had run after his love and they were now all pacing Ianto as they ran, more dogs joining in as well as people and the cat calling started from those sitting on walls and seats to watch the show.

Laughter rang out as a goat tripped and several dogs fell, a 12 dog pile up on Main Street.

Sam sat and found himself laughing as well, a simple thing.

A normal thing.

A human thing.

A noise had him turning and he found Desiree sitting next to him laughing as well, her eyes dancing with merriment as she held her arm against her chest in the sling Owen had so carefully tied.

She looked so young and fresh all of a sudden in the clothes of a young girl as if years had fallen away and he fought the urge to weep for her, looking back as Ianto let out a strange yip that had the dogs change their gaits, lengthening their bodies as they sped up leaving the humans behind.

Holly shit.

He ran like the wind, leaning forward with his arms pumping and Sam rose to watch with awe as he disappeared behind a building.

"Lovely isn't he" Jack said beside them and Sam turned to look at the portly man smiling loving in Ianto's direction, "You should see him in battle. Like a berserka. My Holdfast."

"That's the name of this place, right?" Desiree asked and Jack smiled.

"Yeah, I named if after him. In my people's tongue, Holdfast is another word for Darling or Beloved" Jack smiled at her as he noted her rosy cheeks, "Like he calls me Cariad, Welsh for sweetheart."

"Are you pregnant?" she asked and Sam swung to chastise her but Jack was laughing softly.

"Yeah, I am" He sat and opened his coat to expose the baby bump, "Gonna be a winter baby. See that handsome young man over there? Our oldest, adopted. Billy. See the little girl with the flower she is hitting the wee boy with? That's Hope. Ianto bore her. And the wee baby boy there who is trying to defend his buddy, Dean. Ianto bore him too. My turn now, I have one growing."

"Wow" she said with the childlike innocence of one who had never been told the facts of life from the protective father now trying not to faint or fall off the wall they were sitting on, "So cool."

"We think so" Jack smiled. Turning back to watch Ianto run, "21st Century, when it all changes."

Abner was the one who answered softly from behind them, "Good thing we were ready."

Jack smiled as he nodded; glad they had found this family before the winter could claim them.

It was coming and it was gonna be harsh up here.


	73. Chapter 73

73

"So what is this?" Abner asked as he followed Ifan into the large barn at the back of the Big House.

"Potato harvester" Ifan said with pride, "Made it meself!"

Abner looked at it with confusion.

"You see, these discs cut the soil and turn it, lifting and dropping it onto these conveyor belts, then it is shot into this shaking table then back to conveyor on this table the back. See? We have six people stand on the trailer at the table sorting, good from bad. Once the bad just fell back to re-seed but now I have the moonshine perfected we will take every large one that is damaged. They will drop into the bins behind the table and the large holes mean the little ones drop back to re-seed."

"Wait, moonshine?"

Ifan grinned at his new friend and beckoned with a finger, then led him into the Big House and to the door to Stronghold. He showed him the entrance and they went down into the tunnels with Abner looking confused.

"What's wrong?" Ifan asked as he ambled towards the vehicles.

"I thought…when they said there was an underground I thought of a large cavern or something, I mean…shit!" Abner huffed.

"Here, we need to grab a golf cart now" Ifan said as he sat on his with the words POPPY scrawled in childish writing, probably young Ifan looking after his main man and Abner sat with wonder as Ifan fired it up and they took off, Abner squealing as he gripped the seat, then laughing as they shot along the large tunnel.

As they went Ifan talked. Pointing out Ebony's workshop, the school, the underground kid's spot then he took a steep turn and they went down into another level where Ifan stopped.

"This one is deep and out of the way, but is also vented. Here, come see my distillery" Ifan led his friend into the brewery and he watched Abner's face clear as he recognised the set up, walking over to look at the different recipes on the wall.

"This one uses turnip too?" he asked.

"Yeah, I do the small batch first in the old fashioned moonshine stills, to see if it's any good" Ifan agreed, "Turnip is a little rough. It will fuel some of the gas powered machinery but is too rough for the vehicles, will eat though seals like shit through a seagull."

Abner grinned as he followed Ifan and they walked up and over to the Main Room.

"Bonny girl, showed Abner our babies" he called out and the pretty woman laughed as she waved, popping a baby off her tit and handing it to another woman who calmly offered it hers instead, "how's it going in here love?"

"The tree is taking shape, I found these old antlers and they make great branches down low for hanging stuff on and I can also start hanging the plates the kids did up at the school. Look, even Fay's wee Penny got one. Such a pretty wee one isn't she? Think we are breeding better than the livestock at the moment."

"Got a sow in labour" Young Ifan defended as he wandered past, "Poppy, wanna come see? It's that fat bitch that ate the pumpkin men we made last harvest festival, remember?"

"Ah, yeah. Wanted to bonk her on the head but the boy here knew she would make a good breeder, he was right. Has an affinity with animals, this one" Ifan said proudly as he followed his little mate and they again used the golf cart to shoot through more miles of tunnel and enter the underground piggery.

Abner's head was spinning at the size and majesty of the place, especially the organisation of it all and when he said so Ifan laughed, "Have you met my grandson? Ianto? Would you dare forget something he asked you to do?"

"He's a lovely boy" Abner said as he hooked a foot over the bottom plank of the sty, "So caring, like a mother earth type but with an intense stare that sometimes is unnerving. Like he can see your soul."

"He can" Ifan answered as he held up a piglet for inspection, "Uncle Ianto is a horse of a different colour. Don't' cross him, don't piss him off. He's ours. You aren't yet. Not yet. Takes time to settle."

"I would agree with that" Kev said as he wandered over with a pig under his arm, "She was out again boy."

"Bloody hell. That girl had a thing for pigs, what can I say. My house will be full of them, I wouldn't be able to tell babies from piglets" Ifan sighed.

"Oh yeah? You and Hope is it?" Kev kidded and watched Ifan bloom into a blush as he grinned, the only time the boy had been shy around him. "Well, she's a good choice. But you will have to let her wear the pants mate, she seems likely to all but put you in the dress."

"Don't worry, she's tried" he sighed with an eye roll, "But she is special."

"Definitely is" Kev smiled as he clapped the boy on the back and watched him get back to work, then turned to the others. "So young to think about marriage, so little himself to think of babies."

"A new world son" Abner answered before Ifan could, "Best get on with it. Good attitude to instil in them I think."

"Yeah, well, the hay bailer has been fired up so there are bails to be collected, I'll head up or that bloody wolf will do it all himself" Kev nodded as he turned to leave, "Talking of pigs, that's one bloody pig headed man."

"Yep" Ifan smiled, "Runs in the family that."

Abner laughed as he clapped his friend on the shoulder and agreed, another good trait to pass on.


	74. Chapter 74

74

Abner stepped out of the Main House and placed his old Stetson on his head, looking up into the sun as he heard the unmistakable sound of horses approaching and he watched Ifan walk two large horses towards him with a look of delight to match his own.

"They're doing the haymaking over at Farm D today, I'm too old and arthritic to help with the heavy work but I can still patrol to keep them safe, thought you might like to be my wing man" Ifan called as he drew near, "Jack usually comes with me but he's benched at the moment."

"Hey, you boys can't go anywhere without your play lunch" Anna called out with open mirth, rushing out with a large saddle bag that Abner hurriedly accepted with surprised at the weight of it.

"I take it you put the good stuff in there Mother?" Ifan asked and she leaned over for a kiss, "Drinky-poos?"

"Stop that" she scolded without any malice as she touched her husband's cheek lovingly, "That boy has already gone to patrol so the left side is his change of clothes. He might come join you for the picnic, you know him. He might head for the farm for the food to check his boys."

"I love you dearest" Ifan said softly, as always before leaving the safety of the Dome and she gave the same answer she always did as well.

"So you should, what I have to put up with, with you bloody men!" she chortled, kissing him once more then she turned and patted Abner's shoulder as he helped her back up the steps.

The day's warmth was filtering in as they got to the farm and waved, Jack visible sitting on one of the haymakers, driving with a look of determination.

"It's good for him" Ifan said to Abner after half an hour of quiet enjoyment, "A good reminder of what the boy went through with the other two, poor kid. Hated being so vulnerable, now Jack can get a taste of being delicate."

"Where is Ianto anyway" Abner asked and as if hearing him, the soft yip of a wolf was heard before a small grey exploded ahead of them, running up the trail.

"That way" Ifan laughed softly, tuning the horse in that direction and they headed into a clearing where the wolf pack was feasting on a huge stag.

"The wolves" Abner said softly, "The night I met Ianto they were there, like sentries."

"There" Ifan pointed and Abner turned in the saddle to look up to the ridge and a huge black wolf was standing, his face to the breeze as he scented the air and his long fur blowing back like ink through water.

God but he was ethereal.

Abner felt the air leave him with a soft huff and the large head swung to face them as if the expulsion of air had been heard.

Maybe it had.

Then it started towards them and Abner glanced at Ifan, surprised when he didn't reach for the shotgun at his leg and reached up to wave instead.

Holy shit.

As the creature drew closer he seemed to get bigger and Abner realised it had not been an optical illusion, he really was the size of the horses he was approaching. Then he saw something that stopped his heart for a millisecond.

"Poppy!" Hope yelled enthusiastically as she clung to the creature's neck, tufts of fur in her little hands and her mouth wide as if she was scenting as well.

"Hello darling" Ifan laughed, "I didn't know your Tadda had you out here as well."

"Me and Ifan are fighting" she said with a roll of her eyes, "He forgets I can bite and I only bit him a wee bit."

"Ahhhh, you know the rules" Ifan scolded, "Besides, you know he's my best boy."

"I know" she sighed and bent forward to address the wolf "Taddy, can I go to Poppy please?"

As if this day was not wild enough the creature spoke with a deep Welsh accent, "A long as you don't jiggle. He's on Bouncer and he hated jigglers."

She giggled as the creature came along side and Ifan plucked his great-granddaughter from the beast, "Thanks boy, that man of yours of driving one of the hay bailers."

The growl was deep and menacing but still the horses acted like nothing was amiss and Abner wondered if the mushrooms in the breakfast omelette had been checked properly.

"Nice day for it, no Zs in the wind but may be a good chance to check Farm B for the boysenberry patch. If it's as full as it smells in the wind the kids might have a wee field trip tomorrow in the bus."

"Ooooo!" Ifan lilt up, "Did you hear that dumpling?"

"Road trip" Hope crowed, "Thank you Taddy."

"Come on pumpkin, let's go scare Dadda with a race in" the beast giggled, something that sounded like a wind chime, "He'll have kittens if I jump over the hood."

"Yeah!" Hope laughed as well, sliding back onto his back and they took off, Abner turning to watch them go.

"Ifan?"

"Yeah?" Ifan asked distractedly as he pulled them a sandwich each from the saddlebag.

"That was Ianto."

"Yeah" Ifan agreed as he offered the roast meat sandwich, "It was."

"A wolf"

"Wolfling, he's a good Wolf."

"Oh." Abner said as he looked at the food in his hand, "OK then."

The two old timers continued their ride over into the next homestead in silence as Abner considered, a soft murmur of laughter starting as he turned to Ifan.

"This is more fun than the sixties man!" he said with glee, "Fuck me a rainbow! The world is a beautiful place, right?"

Ifan smiled as his friend gave the reaction he had hoped for and offered a bottle of ginger ale between the horses next.

"Yeah, lucky old bastards ain't we."

Yeah, they were.

Two happy old farts at the end of the world…..

Or the beginning.


	75. Chapter 75

75

There stood the wolf in the winter wind  
Under the pale moonlight  
There stood the wolf in the winter wind  
An awesome, fearful sight

There stood the wolf in the winter wind  
Last standing of his pack  
There stood the wolf in the winter wind  
Hair bristled on his back

There stood the wolf in the winter wind  
Under full moon he did howl  
There stood the wolf in the winter wind  
Who unleashed a fearsome growl

There stood the wolf in the winter wind  
An awesome, fearful sight  
There stood the wolf in the winter wind  
Illuminated in cold moonlight

There stood the wolf in the winter wind  
Full of fearsome might  
There stood the wolf in the winter wind  
King of the winter night.

"Tim Vallie wrote that" Abner said and Ifan turned to him with a noise of question.

"I always liked it, the idea of the wolf being king of his domain" Abner said as he remembered the creature he had just seen.

"Holdfast, named after him" Ifan nodded, "Stronghold, the lair of Holdfast, again it was named for him. He named Fallback before we could as he was starting to realise what was happening but we do seem to have stated something in his name."

"You say it was science?" Ander asked again, Ifan's explanation still lingering between them. "Poor bugger, used like that. What a hard fucking life to be neither in this realm or another."

"I think he saw it that way at first, now he sees it as a gift, he is not just of the lab" Ifan said after a while, "A lot of things played a part, the old magic of the land, the magic of the world yet to be…who can tell. There is no other although young Hope saying she bit Ifan, she means that. She exhibits her Tad's ways and I have seen wee Dean snarl."

"So, this is the beginning of a new race?" Abner tried to section things into little boxes in his thought processing, "Super humans."

"Yes" Ifan nodded, "Let's not forget Marley. You've not seen her party trick yet, she came from the same lab. I think that's why Ianto sees her as his, long before Billy declared intent. Like no one saw that coming!"

Both men snorted as the thought of the two who couldn't stop touching each other as their love filled the entire village with their joy.

"I have a name for the hat" Abner said after a while and Ifan turned with interest.

"For the main room down below" he grinned, "The Horde Room."

Ifan roared with laughter and nodded, "I put in 'Jones Town' just to watch his face."

Now both old men cackled like witches, breaking into choking laughter as they agreed that would definitely get Ianto to break his seriousness.

"That Fallback, the boy and his girl are happy there but…it's too quiet for me. I like that, like being part of all this" Abner said after a few more miles, "I knew life was gonna change. Watched the coverage on the TV and then drove out to the letterbox and tore it from the ground. My neighbours must have thought I was nuts but I knew. Sat at me grandfather's knee hearing about the end of the world, he always said we would be our own downfall. When my wife died and I moved here to be near Sam and his family I chose somewhere off the grid up country. When he called I was ready to go. I knew. God, I knew."

"Ianto had been telling us for years this would come one day, his government job showed him that shit was coming and when it hit the fan our house was his fallback. Shit, that's why we chose that. Fallback, our old farm. Anyway, from there we headed for the lake, then knew we needed more." Ifan sighed as he thought of those who had fallen along the way, "So much lost, so many gone. To have seen TV come, wars fought, progress changing, rearranging, failing. Here, back on a horse like when I was a young boy. All I can feel is satisfaction. My boy came through, these people are good people and ya know what? We are better off then we should be."

"I thought I was dreaming when I realised I had found a safe haven" Abner sighed.

"Haven, hey, there's a good name for the room!" Ifan said excitedly, "The Haven!"

They laughed some more as a bottle of moonshine escaped from a saddlebag and their day got a whole lot happier.

Two old farts together, happy with their place in the cosmos.


	76. Chapter 76

76

Almost the end of the week, the harvest was almost done and Ianto was just starting to relax.

Jack was on the 'Red Barron' combine harvester moving in sync to Rhys on 'Big Blue' they rolled through the corn field of Farm H. Ianto had deliberately made this the corn farm not only for its lush flat fields but as Farm C ad been the corn one previously and he had started to realise he was naming thongs accordingly again.

The best way to stop his OCD from taking over was to deliberately derail it.

So.

Farm H and the drone of the engines was faint as he stood at the start of a row listening to the world breathe.

"Tadda?"

Ianto smiled down at his son, holding Frank's hand with wide eyes, "Can we go play?"

"Only in the part already harvested" Ianto said as he knelt to address them both, "See how high the corn is? Higher than me. Daddy can't see you playing in the long stuff and might run you over. That wouldn't do any of us any good now, would it?"

"Ooooo" Frank said with wide eyes, yes Weevils can widen them.

"So, go to where the harvested bits are and you can find the corn left behind. Make some corn people or gather some together for the big burn of ya like," Ianto suggested and Ifan spoke from behind them.

"A bonfire Uncle?" he asked an Ianto turned to watch the little boy light up, his hand firmly clasped in Hope's as she smiled down at her little brother and Frank ahead of them.

"Yes." Ianto smiled, "Go on, where we can see you in plain sight. If anyone wanders off I will be so cross."

"Yes sir" they all chimed as they headed for the flattered area and were soon hitting each other with stalks and laughing.

"I will watch them" Francine said happily as she wandered past to watch with a baby in her arms and some other children racing to join the fun.

Ianto closed his eyes and took a deep breath, crouching as his hands sought the soil and he scrabbled his fingers in the dirt as he let himself drift.

Children laughing, the motors humming, shouting as men did their work and a woman calling out that fresh water had arrived, another voice asking for the next tractor to pull up. Everyone had a job, everyone working diligently.

Ianto breathed out.

Dogs barking in the distance as they danced with the children, Nainny laughing as she and Francine called out advice to the children.

Bees.

A gun shot.

Another dog barking and this time a yip that was not dog.

Wolf.

Ianto breathed in as he listened to the wind, raising his head to scent as he rose to stand tall.

Wait.

A gun shot?

Ianto started to run, moving into the long corm rows and lunging, leaning forward and changing, his clothes tearing way as the Wolfing hunted and Jack powered down the harvester to stand and open the door, stepping out of the cab onto the step as the corn moved like a wave coming towards them, then he bolted back into his cab and yelled at Rhys to do the same as Mickey clambered up and in from the tractor behind him.

"Moving fast, I don't like that, fuck where are the kids" Mickey panted as he tried to catch his breath and Jack turned in time to see the wolves flying past the harvesters heading for the children and they surrounded them along with the dogs that had been playing until moments ago, then turned to face the way Ianto had gone.

"Fuck, I really don't like that" Mickey whined.

"Fuck this" Jack muttered as he powered up and swung the wheel, picking up the radio to call Rhys, "Fuck to corn, get to the kids and get out of here. Something spooked Ianto."

Horses blew past with the riders leaning across them for extra speed, Billy's hair flying around his face as he snarled and the swarm of clickers paused at Jack's harvester and he yelled that they were heading for the children, "Go check and report back sweetheart."

The swarm moved on.

Jack reached the kids first and swung the door open as Mickey stepped out and jumped down to lift until the cab was full and Francine helped with the other one.

"Come on, up here!" Sean yelled from the tractor and trailer and extra kids and humans alike clambered up as they moved towards the homestead and the portable Dome Tosh was powering up.

The screaming started and Jack swore softly.

Not just Zs then.

The clickers flew back and Marley loosely materialised before him.

"A band of men, heavily armed and not friendly, Zs pursing," she gasped out, "They stopped to check Farm A, found traces of us and took too long looking around. The Zs caught up. Taddy is clearing them out, I am going back to join."

"Go baby" Jack called, "Go protect Billy, I saw him riding there."

Jack wished he could go as well.

Gods an attack this late in the game was not a good sign.

"Looks like the harvest might be done" Owen said as he rubbed his face while watching Tosh and Freddy check the Dome.

"For sure" Jack agreed, "Ianto is going to have nightmares about this."

No-one argues that point. They could too.

Close call.


	77. Chapter 77

77

"They looked to be serious" Billy was taking the lead as Ianto was still at the site cleaning up and had sent him back to report, "I counted eight. Militia of some sort, I get the feeling they were part of something larger but maybe on a scavenge. The maps of the area were sparse and not correct, like they were filling them in as they went so this was new territory. Tad feels there is not an immediate threat but he did track their scent back at far at the little one way bridge. He thinks they came from London."

Serious talking began as Billy waited, Sean and Liam checking ammo to go back out as Mickey placed the spent cartridges in a box next to the weapons retrieved from the bodies. It was agreed a secondary sweep of the area in case there was a second team was prudent, even as they knew Ianto would have smelt them it was a good exercise for the young one to learn not to trust in a first wave as being the only one.

"Well. I vote we finish the corn tomorrow" Vic said with a huff, "I almost shat meself when Ianto tore past like that, never seen him run like that before."

"Agreed."

Jack went to where he knew the short and curly questions were waiting and settled to explain to the children what had happened and field as many of their wonders, thoughts and fears as he could.

"Uncle got them though" Ifan said with a sniff and Frank nodded as he moaned softly, his hands dancing. Ifan snorted as he nodded.

"What did he say? I don't' speak his sign like Ianto can" Jack said as he watched the children all do the weird thing where they held fingers together to mimic only having three, not four and a thumb.

"He said Taddy smelt them before we did" Dean said in his little sing-song voice that startled some of the adults that didn't realise he was so eloquently spoken as he never did speak in public and his Taddy's soft vowels were sweet in a child's voice, "He said Taddy was scared and angry but he made them all go away. He also sez Taddy didn't kill peoples. Only Zs….sorry you are right Frank. People. Not peoples. Taddy didn't kill people."

"If he could have, Taddy would have saved them" Hope said with the knowledge of being older, "But the Zs got them first. Once they are bitten it's all over."

"They came from the city" Ifan asked more than stated, then turned to look at the little ones behind them, "But it's OK. Uncle checked and there aren't any more following them. He would know."

Several little heads nodded as they accepted his words, Ifan looked at as their little elder much as Hope was and Jack watched with interest as he seemed to command them. For all of his looking like his father when he moved, he had Tosh's natural ability to disarm people.

Such a sweet boy.

"How much more harvest is there to do?" Hope asked her Daddy.

"Tomorrow we finish the corn while the last of the hay is packed away, then we have the last day of clean up and those berry patches by the river." Jack tried to think, "I will have to ask Mickey, but I think after that we start the move down for real."

"So, this is it" Hope said as her face started to light up, "Just two more days and then we close up for winter?"

"Yes."

"And the Harvest Feast?" she asked with her head canted like Ianto's when waiting a good answer.

"Yes."

"In the new Big Room?"

"Until it's officially named, yes we call it that" he grinned as she frowned for a moment. "What is it beloved?"

"Do we have time?" she asked softly, "Taddy keeps smelling the air like something is coming. I think winter is creeping up early like it did last time. So we have time to get it all down below?"

"Hey, some are already working on it love" he assured her as his heart swelled with affection for his wee dumpling, "A lot of the stuff is already down there."

"Tomorrow we move the livestock" Ifan told her with a Poppy-like sniff, "So, we are on the last legs darling."

"Oh" she smiled as she looked at him with affection, "Good. Frank? You have your stuff ready to move?"

He made a motion and she started to laugh, nodding happily as she answered, "Of course with me. I need you two to keep me warm in bed, gonna be a cold one. They can, right Dadda? Sleep in my den?"

Den?

Jack looked at the three expectant faces and knew the answer Ianto would give so he shrugged and answered for him, "Sure. We'll go ask Uncle Mickey and Uncle Rhys to move a big mattress into your wee room right now so when not in the kid's room you can all sleep near us."

Jack remembered his own childhood on Boeshane and the communal village where the children slept at different hearths, got cuddles from many arms and even drank at any offered breast.

It felt so right to him, this place.

Home.


	78. Chapter 78

78

Sam was amazed as he walked around Marley's little beauty salon and was touched that she had thought to make room for him.

The chair was an apple green, strikingly different to her black and red theme throughout the rest of the salon and she was pleased it could be used as she knew Billy had been so proud of it when he had found it in the basement, lugged it all the way up and cleaned it down before she got back from a walk to find it there.

Bloody monstrosity.

Green, in a black and red salon?

Really?

He definitely did not have his Taddy's eye for good taste.

"These chairs are like dentist ones, right?" she asked, "I've seen pictures of them."

"You've never had your teeth checked?" he asked with a scandalized look, and then she laughed.

"I have perfect teeth, always will have" she giggled, "I make them myself"

Sam went to ask what she meant and she suddenly changed and these long shark-like teeth snapped at him making him yelp and lean back, then she was Marley again still laughing at him.

"They are not real. None of it is…well, not true. I like looking human but I am something different." She explained, "I am an engineered bio-zoid. Like Ianto I am more than I can explain in words."

"Wow" he grinned as he realised there was nothing to fear from the lovely girl and her sweet nature, "So, the occasional sound of a dentist's drill won't impede your work?"

"If you can handle a blow dryer, or clippers sure" she shot back and he grinned as he looked again at the space she had cleared, more than ample for a small dental clinic and he was soon laying out his tools as Marley watched with interest.

The move was underway and the Harvest Feast would be soon, than in mind she left him to his order and went to the big room where the huge table run half the length of the room along one side with bench seats that could push underneath. More pews along the other wall and more down the end by the stage. It would seat up to 100 if pushed and she stood there trying to imagine their people being that large a number than realised they were less than twenty people off that mark.

The walls were painted a soft blue like the sky, the green artificial grass lending to the tree of life that hugged the walls of the room and all within.

She turned as Ianto sloped in looking for something and she smiled as he saw her and lit up, reaching automatically for a hug hello.

"Hello pumpkin, what are you up to then?" he asked as he squeezed her affectionately.

"Sam is setting up the dental thing so I left him to talk to himself, he does that a lot" she said as she laid her head against his shoulder and let him rock her gently.

"Dentists have to have one way conversations with their patients as they have their fingers in their patent's mouths you see, they get used to talking to themselves" he explained and she hummed.

Down the other end Alice lifted a needle to place on a record as the old wind up gramophone was tested and soon Ianto was dancing with Marley in his arms, her laugher sweet as she adored him, revelling in it being returned.

Jack was drawn by the music and smiled as he watched, rubbing the bump happily.

The name list was written up by the trunk of the lovely tree and Jack looked over them knowing some were too silly but he also knew some were already in the hat as they were great offerings.

Tonight they would learn the name of this space, the hub of….ah.

Jack moved quickly to add that to the hat, grinning as he knew his old friends would see the humour in it, and then he settled to watch with the nearest baby pilfered from the play area.

He would have his own soon enough, this winter would be harsh, mean and long.

He knew this as he watched his beloved Holdfast worry, scent the air and frown.

But that would be OK.

They were all together.

All that mattered really.


	79. Chapter 79

79

They were all seated, the room heaving with life as Ianto stood and the room fell to silence.

Ianto went to sit back down and everyone laughed as he grinned and straightened up once more, waving a hand to show he was joking.

"First of all, welcome family."

"Welcome all" came the response they had started giving.

"I know you all want to know what the name will be so let's see shall we?" Ianto smiled as he lifted the hat over Ifan's head and the boy looked up with shock as he realised he was to pick, Hope smiling as she saw him get the honour.

He reached in and screwed his face up, then pulled out a scrunched up piece of paper, handing it to Ianto who kept it between his fingers and thumb so everyone could see it and handed it on to Kitty.

She excitedly unwrapped it and straightened it, handing it on to Frank who looked at her like she was nuts, then looked at it and gave a squeal of glee.

"Bullshit!" Owen spluttered, "You say it's your one?"

Frank squealed again, this time he was overly excited as he waved the piece of paper and everyone roared with mirth at his display of pleasure.

"Well then Frankie, let's see" Jack reached for the piece of paper and looked at it long and hard then he smiled at the Weevil as he whispered, "Ahhh, best one ever."

Ianto looked over his beloved's shoulder and his face softened as he looked at it, then he straightened one more and looked around the room.

"The Family Place" Ianto said happily as the place cheered and clapped, Frankie wanting the piece of paper back for his keepsake box and he ran from the room to put it with his other little treasures he kept in the old chocolate tin under his pillow.

"What a lovely wee guy" Sam sighed, "Wants us to all remember we are one family here at the centre of the world."

"It's perfect" Jack said with a sniff and Ianto crooned as he held his silly mate, weeping as his hormones made him insane for a moment.

Frank came back grinning, this displayed as he sat with his jaws wide open to show his teeth in a way that would scare the bejesus out of someone who didn't know this was his smile.

"Well done darling" Dean said to him softly, patting his hand, "Best one, didn't I say so? You are so clever."

Frank hummed as he threw his arms around his best friend and they hugged, Bella squealing as she was squashed between her fellas.

"Right then, tonight we feast, tomorrow we…well…sleep in I guess" Ianto frowned as everyone laughed "For this is the end of our autumn, the end of our time up top."

"The final stage of shut down is now in effect, those of you who are rostered for upstairs work please be careful and diligent in your steps, may the Gods watch over you, love you and keep you safe to come back home to those who…" as Ianto began to pray many heads bowed, the little ones clasping hands as their Holdfast gave the Harvest Blessing, " …watch over us, keep us safe and maintain our way of life. Blessings on us all."

"Blessings!" they roared then began to eat.

Jack grabbed Ianto's hand and pushed it at the belly that was bouncing about, Ianto grinning as he felt his unborn child move.

"He's active" Ianto whispered.

"Hungry too" Jack agreed as he watched the Steak Tartar coming towards him and smacked his lips still unable to believe he was eating raw minced meat for this little bugger.

"It's a girl I wanna call her Rosemary" Jack said and Ianto laughed, knowing Rosemary's Baby was the movie of the night for the grups.

"Cariad, you honour me with a girl" Ianto smiled, "Strong, pretty and clever. Definitely not called anything like that…well…Rose maybe?"

"Well, as long as she doesn't come out with teeth" Jack said as he took a mouthful of meat and hummed, closing his eyes as he felt his baby move again with glee. Rose. He was so pleased Ianto had been the one to offer that name.

"I will go for a quick run before bed" Ianto said softly, "Then I will power the dome down to 40% so the rain can give us a full dousing."

"Then come to bed?"

"Then come to you. Where else I cum I will leave to you too" Ianto whispered and Jack froze, his eyes widening as he enjoyed feeling sexy, even in a huge maternity style Mumu.

The Family Place thrummed as they celebrated surviving another year.

The season changes.

Winter is coming.

.

.

.

.

.

So ends this instalment, yes there is another coming.

'Part 5 -The Winter has Teeth' is under construction, coming to you soon.


End file.
